Pinewood Studios granted permission for expansion and new nature reserve

Buckinghamshire Council has approved plans for a 1.4m sq ft expansion at Pinewood Studios. The investment will deliver 21 new purpose-built sound stages, a backlot filming space, education and training hub and a publicly accessible nature reserve.

This expansion will deliver substantial economic and social benefits for the county and region – creating over 8,000 new jobs and injecting £640 million a year into the UK economy. Once the development is complete, Pinewood Studios will be the biggest studio complex in the world, with a total of 51 purpose-built stages.

The consent allows Pinewood to deliver a 63 acre nature reserve at Alderbourne Farm north of the existing studio site. The publicly accessible reserve will protect existing habitats and enhance local biodiversity, as well as provide new footpaths, thereby creating a community asset.

The approved expansion will directly address the continued growth in demand for production accommodation in the UK.

Pinewood Group Corporate Affairs Director Andrew M Smith OBE DL said: “We’re delighted Buckinghamshire Council has approved our plans for the expansion of Pinewood Studios and new nature reserve at Alderbourne Farm. This development will provide invaluable resources to the British film and TV sector, consolidate Pinewood’s status as the UK’s leading production site, deliver significant benefits to our local community and encourage new talent to join the industry.”