Film studio planned for East London

Barking and Dagenham Council is planning to invite bids early next year for a partner to construct and manage a Hollywood-scale film studio in East London.

Building the first London film and TV studio since Pinewood, the council’s Be First urban regeneration company, which is overseeing the development, aims to make the 20-acre site the next global destination for making blockbuster movies.

To be known as the Dagenham East studios, it will provide up to 18,500m² of film stages and workshops alongside creative workspace and food facilities.

The planned development will also include 500 new homes and retail buildings.

“We have had interest already but we really want to see the full potential of this site,” said Be First Managing Director Pat Hayes.

“This is an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious organisation to help make Dagenham famous for films as well as Fords.”

Work on the project could start next year.