UK Hollywood film studio plans approved near Reading

Plans to build a film studio and "bring Hollywood to the UK" have been approved.

Shinfield Studios has been granted planning permission to set up four sound stages and four workshops near Reading for five years.

It said it had already been approached by US film production companies.

The project is part of a long-term vision for a "Cine Valley" where TV studios could also be built.

The plans for the site at Thames Valley Science Park were approved by Wokingham Borough Council's planning committee on Wednesday, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A condition states the studio would be removed and the land "restored to its former condition" in 2026.

Nick Smith, managing director of Shinfield Studios, said the film industry in the UK was "booming".

"There's an acute shortage of studio space to meet the demand of companies like Disney, Netflix, Amazon and Apple," he added.

He said film productions could be expected to spend up to £10m each month, and that a "significant proportion" would be spent locally.

"A typical production will also employ upwards of 500 crew, creating a number of local highly paid job opportunities," he said.

The University of Reading agreed a long lease of land at its Thames Valley Science Park campus with studio investor Commonwealth Real Estate LP last year.

The studio aims to bring "major Hollywood film productions to the UK" and create £500m of annual investment to the UK, the university previously said.

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