Stirling studios hopes to attract streaming giants

A new film complex has been announced in Stirling that is planned to be one of the largest in Scotland.

Stirling Council said the campus, located on former MOD land at Forthside, could create more than 4,000 jobs over the next 25 years.

The site is being redeveloped with part of a £19m UK government grant to the local authority to regenerate Forthside.

It is hoped that major productions for Netflix and Amazon will use the site.

The land has been transferred to the council through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.

The site has already been used as a filming location, but there is currently no timescale when the new studio complex will open.

Existing buildings on the site will be retained and refurbished.

Council chief executive Carol Beattie said she had identified an opening for more production space in Scotland as part of her previous role at Scottish Development International.

"I spent time in London speaking to the British Film Commission and studio operators such as Pinewood, Three Mills and Warner Brothers to understand the specifications of a good site," she said.

"When I saw the unique buildings and location at Forthside, I considered it to be a fantastic fit, which has since been confirmed through our close consultation with the industry, including Screen Scotland."

A recent Screen Scotland report showed a doubling of domestic film and high-end TV production between 2019 and 2021.