Pentlands Film & TV Studio plan lodged
May 6 2015
Encompassing an 86 acre site in the shadow of the Pentland Hills the complex will incorporate six sound stages, an external water-stage, two backlots, workshops and production office spaces.
This will be complemented by a film academy, student residence, visitor centre, 180 bed hotel, data centre and satellite-link station all set within a ‘landscaped glen’.
Expected to attain a BREEAM Excellent rating the largest stage will reach 70ft in height with spaces including a ‘paddock’ water-stage, which will also be offered to the advertising and games industries.
Alan Seddon, Keppie Design divisional director, architecture commented: “Film and television play an important role in people's lives, but for most of us their production is such a remote activity, both physically and emotionally. That a project like this should be coming to Scotland is amazing and we at Keppie feel genuinely privileged to have been involved in getting it to this stage.”
PSLL have also reserved 11.95 acres of land for future development, precluding any residential development.
The studio complex will be built around a 'landscaped glen'
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4 Comments
#1 Posted by wonky on 6 May 2015 at 10:09 AM
How many film studios are being built in Scotland? We have this one in the pentlands; we have the Cumbernauld ( outlander) site referenced as another; we now most recently have Dundee mentioned as the location for a massive film studio- you wait half a century for a film studio in Scotland then just like a First bus 3 come at the one time. Why are they not building this in one of the prime brownfield sites in or around central Glasgow next to our main city, media infrastructure, close to an international airport & on the doorstep of the majority of the Scottish film-tv industry workers live? The whole process seems needlessly opaque & shrouded in anonymity & at the same time logistically daft in terms of its strategic location- just bizarre.
#2 Posted by Dadabouttown on 6 May 2015 at 12:17 PM
I think there are a lot of factors involved. What makes a studio commercially viable and site factors are not as clearcut as you might think, noise pollution for example, or room for expansion (Pacific Quay faces issues there) and not least that recent EU regulations make Government funding tricky - so influencing what may be a privately funded commercial proposal is tougher. Scottish Enterprise are reviewing sites in and around Glasgow such as Gartcosh as well as Cumbernauld. As I say, I think there are a lot of factors involved. I think the backers of this Pentlands proposal wanted to move at speed and felt working with SE / Government would slow them, found a site that ticked a lot of boxes and a supportive local authority. Whether it eventually happens is another matter but they appear to be cracking on.
#3 Posted by George on 6 May 2015 at 13:30 PM
#1 Fully agree. Huge amount of land crying out for development down at Pacific Quay and the Graving Docks right next to the current and successful Film City, BBC, STV etc. What is the latest plans for this as I thought this is where the new Film Studio was going to be located?
#4 Posted by Jimbob Tanktop on 6 May 2015 at 16:34 PM
Of course, the best way to have a thriving Scottish film industry which creates demand for a film studio, would be to make better films, instead of the usual hodge-podge of Caledonian corn, made by those best suited to filling in Creative Scotland's grant forms and who think a script is less essential than an on-set coffee machine.
Hey, and indeed, ho.
Hey, and indeed, ho.
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