Called the Pinewood Studios Development Framework, the plan will see a substantial expansion of the existing Pinewood Studios complex near Iver Heath by adding a total of 100,000 sq m of new facilities, studios, stages, workshops, production offices and streetscapes for filming. Should the application be granted, Pinewood Shepperton project that the plan would support over 8,100 full time jobs, create approximately 3,100 net additional jobs and generate an additional £37m per annum in UK exports.

“This is a critical opportunity for the creative industries and particularly for the UK film industry” said Ivan Dunleavy, Chief Executive, Pinewood Shepperton. “Global demand for filmed entertainment is increasing and the UK remains one of the leading destinations to produce creative content. We have the talent and skills and the Government has expressed its commitment to the industry through the various tax reliefs now available. Without infrastructure to meet the rising demand, the UK will inevitably turn away business. Pinewood Studios, the UK film industry and UK plc cannot afford to allow this to happen.”

Amanda Nevill, Chief Executive, British Film Institute added: “The capacity of the studios in the UK to respond to opportunities is key to the on-going success of British film. In order to secure inward investment and help develop and nurture the next generation of home grown talent, the BFI supports Pinewood’s ambitions to expand and invest”.

Further support for the revised plans have come from key industry figures including Eric Fellener, Ridley Scott and Danny Boyle, who said: “If we are, as a country, to capitalise on our film heritage then we need state of the art facilities like those which Pinewood is proposing to both attract major Hollywood films and nurture and bring on the next generation of young independent British film makers”.