Angela Rayner to decide on Berkshire film studios
Property developer Greystoke Land wants to build ‘the third largest film studios in the country’ at Holyport
Secretary of state for housing, communities and local Government Angela Rayner has announced she will personally decide on whether the studio in Holyport should go ahead.
Property developer Greystoke Land wants to build ‘the third largest film studios in the country’ – about the size of 60 football pitch – on land by Gays Lane.
Now councillor Adam Bermange – responsible for planning at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead – said the council will argue it was correct to block the plans when the case is heard next month.
But the Royal Borough refused to grant planning permission in March this year, citing its impact on the greenbelt.
Defending
Mr Bermange told us:
“We stand by our decision to refuse permission for a film studio in Holyport and will be defending this at the public inquiry next month. We cannot comment any further as the appeal process is ongoing.”
Hearing
Greystoke has appealed to the Government’s planning inspector to overturn this decision, and a hearing is set to take place over two weeks from November 12.
The developer argues that ‘very special circumstances’ – namely the need for studio space and the economic boost it would bring – mean it should be allowed.
In its statement to the inspectorate, it argues that the council has ‘exaggerated’ the harm that the studios would do to the greenbelt, and ‘ignored’ its economic benefits.
It also says the studios need to be located neat to other film industry sites in west London and the south east.
But the council argues that Greystoke has itself ‘overstated’ the economic case for the studios. Council officers argued that the development of other studios in Berkshire and the south east means there’s less of a case for building another one in Holyport.
Government
Angela Rayner's decision to step in means the hearing will still take place next month. But rather than make the final decision, the planning inspector will then submit a report to Rayner for her to make a decision herself.
In a letter to RBWM, the ministry for housing communities and local Government said she’d decided this because the proposed development has ‘more than local significance’. It also said the reasons included ‘to test economic need’ and ‘whether very special circumstances apply’.
The Ministry said it would not be appropriate to comment further on the reasons for her intervention. Greystoke did not respond to a request for comment.