Outline planning permission submitted in January 2023
Refused in March 2024. Going to appeal in November.
Greystoke Land announced in October 2022 that they were proposing a new film studio to the south-east of Holyport, near Maidenhead in Berkshire. It was to be located about two and a half miles from Bray Studios. There would be 15 sound stages, plus workshops and other facilities. A VR studio was also included.
The site is on green belt land so planning approval was always far from certain. In fact, as soon as the proposals were made public, local residents voiced their concerns. Local councillor David Coppinger, Maidenhead’s lead member for environmental services, parks and countryside, indicated that he opposed any development on this area of green belt land. However, he would be supportive of the studios if they were sited elsewhere. Public consultation began in the autumn of 2022 and according to the developers, the final plans would take into account the views of local residents.
The proposals included two clusters of stages and other facilities, a backlot area and a 16.9-hectare area to be turned into a nature park and cricket pitch. A new roundabout on the B3024 was to be constructed with access to the site.
Outline planning permission was sought in January 2023. Unfortunately for the developers, it was unanimously rejected 9-0 by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s development control panel at a meeting on 20th March 2024. Once councillor described it as a ‘chancer application.’ The councillor who proposed the motion to refuse, said the inappropriateness of the development in the green belt was ‘quite stark.’ Dozens of members of the public were at the meeting, voicing their objections. One speaker who works as a surveyor described it as one of the laziest applications he had seen. Oh dear. The following reasons for refusal were listed as follows:
1 – Lack of ‘very special circumstances for building in the green belt.’
2 – Harm to local character.
3 – Proximity of listed buildings and conservation areas.
4 – Highway safety.
5 – Loss of footpaths.
6 – Insufficient conservation of habitats.
7 – Loss of agricultural land.
8 – Sustainability.
Having lived in that area for a number of years I can’t help agreeing with all of the above. This really is completely the wrong place to build a film studio. On the other hand, I do think that the application for Marlow Studios is a huge contrast. Although on green belt, that scheme is very well designed and clearly an enormous amount of work has gone into addressing all the points made above. There is also a great deal of support both locally and throughout the industry for Marlow – I am not aware of the same for Holyport. I very much hope that application will succeed.
In September the press were reporting that the developers were appealing the decision. It will be held between November 12th and 26th. The developers said that this would be the third largest film studio in the country. I don’t know how they came to that conclusion but in fact if it has 15 sound stages – Pinewood, Shepperton, Leavesden and Shinfield are all larger and if they go ahead – Sunset, Marlow and Sky Elstree North and South will also all be larger.
The press release stated the following:
Greystoke acknowledges that the development would cause harm to the greenbelt. But it argues that the benefits amount to ‘very special circumstances’ that outweigh the harms.
It argues that it would not be able to develop the amount of studio floorspace it needs without building on the greenbelt. And it says Holyport’s proximity to other nearby film industry sites means it’s one of the few suitable locations.
Montague Evans statements says: “This is no ordinary development proposal and nor is it one that meets a generic need that could be met anywhere.”
In October the press were reporting that the final decision will be taken by Secretary of State Angela Rayner.