Pinewood ‘likely to appeal’ studio ruling

BRITISH film production company Pinewood Shepperton is to go to the UK Government with its bid to double the size of its main studio af t er l ocal authorities rejected its expansion plans.

Ivan Dunleavy, chief executive of Pinewood which is Europe’s largest film studio, said it was disappointing the local council rejected its £200 million plan for a second time as it needed more capacity to meet rising demand.

Mr Dunleavy said the company was yet to make an announcement on any appeal after the plan to boost the capacity of its studio on protected “green belt” land was rejected again, but said it was likely to appeal.

The 15-year project would have involved building studios, streetscapes and stages at the Iver Heath site but South Buckinghamshire Council rejected the plans as “inappropriate” expansion into green belt land.

Mr Dunleavy said the next step was to go to the Government which would have happened anyway as higherlevel approval was always needed for any change to green belt status.

A more ambitious version of the planning application called “Project Pinewood”, which included the building of 1400 new homes, was rejected last year, after a vociferous “Stop Project Pinewood” campaign by local residents.

The studios, home to more than 1500 movies over 76 years, were used to film 23 of 25 James Bond films including the latest hit “Skyfall”.