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Plan for major film studio refused by government

Nick Clark
Local Democracy Reporting Service
Greystoke Land A computer generated image of what the film studios might look like. It's a complex of buildings surrounded by greenery, with a large car park.Greystoke Land
The plans included sound stages, workshops, offices, footpaths and a new roundabout

Plans to build one of the UK's biggest film and TV studios have been rejected by the government.

Investment company Greystoke Land had appealed to the government to allow the film studio to be built in Holyport, after councillors at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) refused to grant planning permission.

But the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government rejected the appeal on Friday, citing the project's "potential harm to the green belt".

The BBC has approached Greystoke Land for comment.

The investment company applied for permission to build the studio complex on both sides of Gays Lane in 2022.

The plans included sound stages, workshops, offices, footpaths, a multi-storey car park, a backlot filming area, a new roundabout, and a "media village" for post-production.

UK Parliament A professional head and shoulders photo of a man with short blonde hair and wearing a black suit with a red tie. He's standing against a grey background and smiling at the camera.UK Parliament
Minister for Housing and Planning Matthew Pennycook rejected the appeal on Friday

In March 2024, councillors refused planning permission because of concerns about the green belt.

Graystoke Land appealed and said the council had "exaggerated" the harm to the green belt and ignored its economic benefits.

It said there was a "pressing need for the proposed development".

Property consultant Montagu Evans added: "This is no ordinary development proposal and nor is it one that meets a generic need that could be met anywhere."

But RBWM said Greystoke had overstated the economic case for the studio, and the development of other studios in Berkshire and the south east meant there was less of a case for building another one in Holyport.

The appeal was heard by a planning inspector last November, but government housing ministers said they would make the final decision.

In a letter setting out the stance of the Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook MP, a decisions officer said the government supported "the growth of the creative industries in the UK" but there was "likely to be sufficient capacity within existing studio space" for the industry "for the immediate future".

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