Pinewood Studios, the UK’s largest movie-production facility, is committed to the expansion of its facilities which will include a number of back-lot permanent sets – a castle, Venice canal, an Italian lakeside, plus typical city streets from New York, Los Angeles, Paris and London.
Also on the cards is the building of 2000 homes which many nearby residents believe is the real reason for the expansion scheme.
Ivan Dunleavy, CEO of Pinewood Shepperton, has admitted that the housing project “will be open to everyone’ but also said the homes would be for those working at Pinewood Studios.
A statement said: “The Board expects that following public consultation, a planning application will be made during the fourth quarter of 2008. Development of the scheme will be commenced in collaboration with appropriate partners once planning consent is granted. Total costs incurred to 30 June 2008 were £1.3m (R18.85m), and it is anticipated that a total of £3.0m (R44m) will be incurred progressing the application to submission by the year end.’
Pinewood made more than £3.8m (R54m) in pre-tax profits in the first half of this year with feature film productions generating £13m (R182m) and TV facilities accounting for £5.8m (R82m), which represents an increase of £1m (R14.5m) for the same period last year. Total revenues were £21.7m (R315m) for the six months to the end of June.
Some of the movie productions shot at Pinewood and which lead to a healthy financial situation were the latest James Bond movie Quantum of Solace and Universal’s The Wolfman. Recent television productions include Little Dorrit, The Weakest Link and Dragon’s Den.
Partly Sourced from Rapid TV News
