Film studio proposal in the spotlight as UK PM Starmer plots planning overhaul

By Alistair Smout

MARLOW, England (Reuters) - A dispute over proposals for a film studio on a plot of grassland west of London could become a test case for Britain's Labour government and its plans to get the country building again to drive economic growth.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to "bulldoze through restrictive planning laws" that investors blame for making it difficult and costly to build in Britain.

His government has also identified British film and TV production - which rivals Hollywood in capacity and has made blockbusters like "Barbie", the Harry Potter series and "Deadpool & Wolverine" - as a sector that deserves support.

He is expected to reference it in a speech outlining his priorities for government on Thursday.

But any government intervention in local planning decisions to get things built, such as the proposed studio 30 miles from London, risks angering voters who might feel the biggest impact from such projects.

"Undoubtedly the current planning system is not fit for purpose," said Anna Crabtree, a parish councillor for the picturesque village of Little Marlow.

"But I think the national government ignores local policies, local plans and local people at their peril."

Marlow Film Studios, which lists directors James Cameron, Sam Mendes and Paul Greengrass among supporters, wants to build 470,000 square feet of soundstages across 56 acres on a disused landfill site next to a busy road.

But the project - which backers say would directly create around 2,000 jobs once operational - has run into opposition because of the plot's location between the pretty market town of Marlow, on the banks of the River Thames, and Little Marlow.

The local council rejected the proposal earlier this year, in part because the area is formally classed as "green belt" land, a designation intended to limit development and prevent urban sprawl. Locals had envisaged it as a country park instead.

But the government elected in July has intervened in the appeal process that will give a final say, with culture minister Lisa Nandy saying much-needed economic growth would be "front of mind" when weighing the proposal.

The appeal will proceed to a planning inquiry before the government makes a final determination, expected next year.

GREEN OR GREY BELT

Labour, in trying to ease national planning restrictions, has proposed the notion of "grey belt" land. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who has responsibility for planning, said in April that "much of the green belt isn't green rolling hills, but poor-quality scrub land" which should not be off-limits to developers.

More details of those proposals are expected by the end of the year.

In its appeal filings, Marlow Film Studios said that, based on the current drafting of government policy, the site should now be considered grey belt land suitable for development. Opponents reject that, saying the fields are green belt as they prevent urban sprawl and support wildlife.

If successful, the studio would join an area to London's north-west that is home to many film studios, including Warner Brothers in Leavesden, where much of 2023 blockbuster "Barbie" was shot, and Pinewood Studios, where James Bond, Marvel and Star Wars films have been made.

Robert Laycock, chief executive of Marlow Film Studios, said the film industry was one of few "where the UK has the ability to really shine and out-compete".

"If we don't seize the ability to tell our stories on a global stage, other people will," he said.

Britain provides tax credits for independent film and visual effects and the culture department said it believed there was "potential for further growth across the UK as we look to rival Hollywood as the best place in the world to make film".

Creative industries are among priority sectors for next year's new industrial strategy.

Some 4.2 billion pounds ($5.3 billion) was spent on film and high-end TV production in the UK in 2023, the British Film Institute said, 78% of which was inward investment or co-productions with international partners.

The British Film Commission (BFC) launched a programme in 2020 to support expansion of UK soundstage space. Since then, capacity has doubled to around 6 million square feet, a figure which rivals Los Angeles.

In a further possible sign of its interest in the sector, the government has also intervened in the decision whether to approve a proposed studio at nearby Holyport, while Sky Studios are seeking to expand facilities in Elstree.

A Sky spokesperson said plans "to expand the site reflect the strength of our future project pipeline" and would help it attract an additional 2 billion pounds in investment there.

Campaign group Save Marlow's Greenbelt has questioned whether Britain needs so much production space, however, arguing the jobs at Marlow might just come from nearby studios, and that Britain could end up with overcapacity given the recent U.S. writers' strike and a subsequent slowdown in the industry.

BFC Chief Executive Adrian Wootton said it had backed Marlow Film Studios as "a viable project with access to crew and infrastructure".

"The demand to base productions and use our facilities and talent in the UK remains very strong," he said, adding that the sector was "key to driving economic growth".

($1 = 0.7870 pounds)

(Additional reporting by Kate Holton; Editing by Catherine Evans)