A proposed multi-million pound revamp of Twickenham Film Studios has received planning approval.
Twickenham is London’s oldest film studio, famous for producing a host of blockbuster films including The Italian Job, Bohemian Rhapsody and 1917.
The plans involve a 19,000 square foot site expansion and redevelopment of the studio campus, with new TV and sound studios, co-working spaces for local business, a café and boutique cinema.
NEWS >> @TwickStudios receive planning approval for major expansion of the historic campus – providing jobs for local residents and attract new investment from national and international film production companies.
Operated by @timespacestudios with Developer @generalprojects pic.twitter.com/17CNrQisfB— Twickenham Film Studios (@TwickStudios) November 1, 2021
Victoria Poole from Twickenham Film Studios said they are “thrilled” by the news and believes the expansion will create a “home for filmmakers”.
“it’s exciting for us as a business, but it’s exciting for the community, it’s exciting for local residents, it’s exciting for the industry”, she added.
Boost to Richmond
Speaking about the impact of the redevelopment on local jobs, Richmond Councillor Jonathan Cardy said:
“I believe it means we will have a major employer of actors and related trades…for the foreseeable future. We want to retain a mix of employment and residential. We don’t want this borough to become some dormitory suburb where everyone goes elsewhere to work”.
The news also comes as a boost to Richmond’s arts community, according to a figure from a local charity. Linda Hansell from Arts Richmond said:
“We [Richmond] are an absolute wealth of art so it just brings more audience”.
She also called on the film studio to use the project to recruit more local talent:
“We have lot and lots of very talented actors and we would hope that they would look at a pool of the local area”.
The Creative District Company are behind the expansion of Twickenham Film Studios. The company are working in partnership with the property developer General Projects.
Work on the studio is going to start in 2022.
