£110m Dagenham film studio complex approved

Plans for new Hollywood-style film studios in Dagenham, east London, have been approved by councillors.The £110m proposals include sound stages and workshops on a 22-acre former Sanofi pharmaceutical factory site in Dagenham East.Be First, Barking and Dagenham Council’s pioneering regeneration company, is presently in talks to find a development partner following the withdrawal last year of Pacific Ventures, which pulled out over Brexit uncertainty.The regeneration body is aiming to secure a joint venture agreement, a land sale or for Be First to build the studios and lease the site to an interested party.Film studios plansix sound stages totalling 140,000 sq ftflexible accommodation adjacent to the sound stages for uses such as production offices, hair and makeup or dressing roomsconversion of two existing buildings into workshops for set constructiona landmark office building for the pre and post productionkey sustainability measures, including green roofs Cllr Darren Rodwell, Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council hailed the planing decision last night as ‘momentous’.