London’s Hollywood on track

New designs for the Dagenham Studios were unveiled today as part of a planning application to transform a former factory site into London’s Hollywood.

After consultation with local residents, the plans were submitted by Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s regeneration organisation, and they are expected to be considered by the Council’s Planning Committee in July this year.

Councillor, Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, said: “This is a crucial stage in our ambition to make Dagenham London’s Hollywood. Our dream of making the area as famous for films as it was for Fords is very much on track.

“The new studios will be a game-changer in bringing thousands of jobs to Dagenham.

“Dagenham is already becoming known as a new hotspot for digital and knowledge-based industries with a huge data centre under construction and the UCL PEARL research centre set to be built just a stone’s throw away from the studios’ site. It’s another sign that Dagenham’s star is rising.”

Pat Hayes, Managing Director of Be First, said: “Our Consultancy Team has worked hard to submit exciting plans for what will be the most modern and largest studios to be built in the capital in the last 25 years.

“Given the high demand for studio space in the UK, I am confident that ambitious movie makers, production companies and studio operators will be very attracted by these proposals.”

The plans feature:
• six large sound stages – equivalent to 140,000 sq ft
• 85,200 sq ft of offices, and
• 174,500 sq ft of workshops
• Designs are made to a high environmental standard

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