Angela Rayner has been urged to give the green light to a £750m project to build a Hollywood-style film and TV studio in a bid to prove the creative industries are “economic first”. A public inquiry into the project, backed by Avatar director James Cameron, is underway. I heard it.
Deputy Prime Minister Rayner will make a final decision on the Marlowe Film Studios development proposal based on a report prepared following an investigation into the project's planning application. Public hearings begin on Tuesday and Mr Rayner's decision is seen as a test of Labour's plans and approach to the creative industries.
The Marlowe Film Studios development proposal, which would have created 4,000 jobs, was rejected by Buckinghamshire City Council in May last year. The council cited concerns including the impact on the road network and green belt land use.
In October, Mr Rayner submitted a planning application for a studio complex that was rejected but has received strong support from filmmakers including Cameron and 1917 director Sam Mendes. . The project is being led by Robert Laycock, Ian Fleming's great-nephew and executive partner of the James Bond creator's estate.
On the first day of a month-long public inquiry into the application, which will produce a report and recommendations to Mr Rayner, the project's lawyers immediately said the final decision would test Labor's commitment to growing Britain's creative industries. characterized as.
“The New Labor Government has made it clear that strengthening Britain's film and TV industry is a core economic priority,” said Sasha White KC. “If the UK Government is serious about championing the creative industries, Marlowe Film Studios will be able to achieve its objectives. This proposal is a huge win for the county, for London, for the South East and frankly for the economic health of the country. It is no exaggeration to say that it will bring about major changes.”
Mr White pointed to sweeping reforms to Labor's plans announced last year, including ordering councils to review the boundaries of green belts by identifying low-quality “gray belt” land on which they can build.
“This site is designated as part of the green belt,” he said. “but, [we] will claim that the site is land newly conceived by the Labor government as a 'grey belt'. We refute this council's pessimistic, ambitious and frankly short-sighted approach. ”
Legal teams representing Buckinghamshire City Council and lawyers for campaign groups including Save Marlowe argued that the developers' predictions that the UK production industry would boom in the future were unfounded.
They pointed out that Pinewood, home of the Bond series and Disney's UK production base, has put expansion plans on hold that had been given city council permission in 2022.
Last month, developers scrapped plans for nearby Wycombe film studios, citing market uncertainty. We chose to build a data center instead.
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“The council supports the government's growth agenda,” Buckinghamshire councilor Simon Bird said. “If proposed in the right location, it does not inhibit growth. Demand is inherently difficult to predict. The council is not satisfied that there is a clear need.”
under Appeal procedurethe Planning Inspectorate may conduct an investigation (or hearing) and the Secretary of State has the power to decide on an appeal or to cancel an appeal at any stage up to the Planning Inspectorate's decision.
Any further appeal will be through a judicial review application to the High Court.
In theory, the Secretary of State can make planning applications for any reason, but in practice very few applications are made each year.
