Pinewood Studios submits application for £200m expansion

Pinewood Studios submits application for £200m expansion

6:34pm Monday 1st June 2009

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By simon farr »


PINEWOOD Studios says it has submitted a planning application to South Bucks District Council to build a series of unique live-in film sets on Green Belt land.

The world-famous studio near Gerrards Cross is submitting its final planning application for a 100-acre, £200m expansion dubbed 'Project Pinewood', which would see 1400 homes incorporated into new film sets including a mock-up Venice canal and a Parisian square.

The development would create up to 1000 jobs and include a new primary school, medical facility, health suites and a 'significant improvement' in transport links as the studio, home to the James Bond franchise, looks to break the Hollywood monopoly.

But South Bucks District Cllr Bill Lidgate believes the 'creative industries clutter' would create massive traffic problems and claims the studio is “simply dressing up houses as film sets to by-pass Green Belt planning laws.”

He said: “I am yet to see the final planning application but I have seen the original proposals and spoken to the studio since and I am opposed to building homes on Green Belt land.

“They are going to build homes in New York and Paris looking-streets and call them film sets but we have no need for 1400 homes on Green Belt land.

“I don't really think it has anything to do with the films, I just think they're trying to fill their pockets by building houses and for that to happen, the whole area would require a major transportation reconstruction which won't happen.”

Mr Lidgate also said that he didn't believe the area needed a new primary school but it does need a new secondary school as Chalfont College is 'bursting at the seams”.

If the application is successful, the studio hopes to have the development, which was first announced in 2007, in place “within 10 years”.

SDJones, Hazlemere says...
10:16pm Mon 1 Jun 09
no to building on green belt for ANY reason, when will this land stealing stop, we wont have a green and pleasant land for much longer
no to building on green belt for ANY reason, when will this land stealing stop, we wont have a green and pleasant land for much longer
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Voyeur, HW says...
11:24pm Mon 1 Jun 09
Surely there can be trade offs between green belt and brown field land?

In any case WDC has recently proposed that green belt land in the Gomm Valley and at Terriers Farm be given over to housing!!!

Rather than have a blanket ban on developments in the green belt I suggest sympathetic and careful trade offs could still achieve the desired results.

Surely there can be trade offs between green belt and brown field land? In any case WDC has recently proposed that green belt land in the Gomm Valley and at Terriers Farm be given over to housing!!! Rather than have a blanket ban on developments in the green belt I suggest sympathetic and careful trade offs could still achieve the desired results.
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Hit me, HARD! says...
11:42pm Mon 1 Jun 09
Whilst I agree, I cant think of any brown field sites even close to big enough to accomodate them. Even if the new development were done seperately (Which would mean its not Pinewood).

Would rather make an exception in this case as opposed to risboro gypsies that move in build and dont worry about permissions....
Whilst I agree, I cant think of any brown field sites even close to big enough to accomodate them. Even if the new development were done seperately (Which would mean its not Pinewood). Would rather make an exception in this case as opposed to risboro gypsies that move in build and dont worry about permissions....
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Steve Totteridge Hill, says...
8:52am Tue 2 Jun 09
Smacks of more back handers and secret deals to me.