Plans revised for studio expansion
Pinewood South Ltd submits a new proposal
Pinewood has resubmitted plans for a large expansion its studios – with revised plans larger and including a nature reserve.
The studio in Iver Heath was granted permission from Buckinghamshire Council in April for a 750,000sqft development.
This was known as its
Screen Hub UK scheme, costing around £450million.
It included a 350,000sqft visitor attraction (The Pinewood Studios Experience), 350,000sqft of film production studios, and a 50,000sqft education and business hub (Centre Stage), offering primary school outreach and adult retraining.
Then in May, Pinewood announced that it was looking to increase the studio floorspace
in its plans. It also announced schemes for a nature reserve.
Now, Pinewood South Ltd has submitted an alternative proposal.
Both follow ‘a similar approach in design terms’, though the current scheme offers ‘additional benefits’ including the proposed nature reserve at Alderbourne Farm, south of the site.
The plans cover 32 hectares of land given over to 1,415,000sqft (131,458sqm) of film production buildings – sound stages, workshops and suchlike – as well as education and business hubs.
There are four principal elements proposed: the production studios, Centre Stage, a backlot open-air filming area and the nature reserve.
The Centre Stage development remains proposed at a maximum of 50,000sqft (4,645sqm).
It would include an education and training hub for all ages from school to industry vocational, plus a business growth hub.
The open-air filming backlot will be at Alderbourne Farm and Pinewood South, including up to 35,000sqft (3,252sqm) of film production buildings.
It will feature two backlot areas, supporting buildings, and green infrastructure to ‘contain the site and respect residential amenity’ of adjacent homes.
In addition, 226 parking spaces and 49 space cycle park spaces are planned, with vehicular and pedestrian accesses from Uxbridge Road, Pinewood Road and Seven Hills Road.
An ‘extensive area of land’ (25.6 hectares) is planned for the nature reserve. The site is currently agricultural grassland.
This will be a new facility to deliver a ‘significant gain in biodiversity’ while ‘ensuring the long-term protection of existing
areas of ancient woodland’.
The nature reserve will serve a secondary recreational function for neighbours, with a ‘modest’ parking facility and network of connections into the existing footpath network.
It is hoped the reserve will result in better management of small woodlands and ancient woodlands.
To see all the documents for this application, enter reference PL/22/2657/FA into the South Bucks planning portal.