Boyer achieves Planning Consent for The Transformation of Twickenham Film Studios

National planning consultancy Boyer, part of the Leaders Romans Group, has secured a resolution to grant planning permission for the transformative redevelopment of Twickenham Film Studios in west London, enabling it to compete in the global market, provide additional local employment and significantly extend its integration within the local community.

The planning application, on behalf of The Creative District Company and Twickenham Film Studios, was unanimously approved by the planning committee of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on Wednesday 27 October.

Hollaway Architects’ creative scheme includes a new landmark building at the site’s front corner, which has been designed to appear like a façade on a film set.

The new four-storey building will provide a new ground floor café and 664 sqm of modern co-working office space. The original foyer, cinema, and Foley Studios and new roof level lounge will be refurbished, and the facility will benefit from a new post-production suites and a theatre.

The redevelopment will enable the facility to expand by 19,000 sq ft (from 105,000 sq ft currently) and is expected to provide 60 additional jobs post-completion. Twickenham Film Studios already employs over 1000 people, making it a significant local employer. Furthermore, the redevelopment is anticipated to provide a spending uplift to the local economy of £2.5m per annum.

Until now the Studios has been something of a sealed site with limited public access. The redevelopment includes the creation of a café, workspaces, a cinema and a studio space for live audience events which will allow the local community to feel more closely associated with the Studios.

The development will also rejuvenate the bland and austere boundary wall, displaying relevant and appropriate artworks and historical images, which add interest and enhance the street scene and the area’s character.

Sustainability will play a pivotal role in the redevelopment, with initiatives that enhance site’s biodiversity, urban greening and reduce carbon emissions through the use of on-site renewables.

The extensions to Blocks E and H are to be constructed of lightweight pre-fabricated design to minimise on-site construction and speed the build process.

Twickenham Film Studios is London’s oldest studios and is the only studios inside the M25 with script-to-screen capabilities. It has provided the location for filming and post-production work on a huge number of leading box office films and TV programmes and has hosted leading actors and directors since its foundation in 1913. Twickenham Film Studios has won a host of industry awards, including Emmys, Baftas and an Oscar for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Mark Batchelor, Director in Boyer’s London office said, ‘We are delighted to have achieved this planning permission which will transform the iconic Twickenham Film Studios. This is an outstanding and sustainable scheme which is fitting for a site of such importance. The creative strategy for the design and construction of the new landmark building is wonderfully innovative and importantly the new scheme is designed to integrate positively with the local community in a way which was not previously possible. We look forward to continuing to work with our clients and the Council following the determination of the planning application.’