Bray residents make 'avalanche' of complaints about film studio plan

Greystoke Land said the studios need the space to meet the increasing need for film and TV studios

Residents in a village have made an "avalanche" of objections about a film and TV studio plan.

Greystoke Land has planned to build a film and TV studio near Maidenhead in Berkshire on a 43.15 hectare (106-acre) green-belt site.

During an extraordinary Bray Parish Council meeting Councillor Leo Walters said there was an "avalanche" of objections.

Oliver Ralton from Greystoke Land said there will be economic benefits.

The Holyport Studios site on Gay's Lane would be home to sound stages, workshops, offices, footpaths, a multi-storey car park, a backlot filming area, a new roundabout, and a media village for post-production.

Nearly 17 hectares of that land have also been set aside for nature with a public park and a cricket ground, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

'So wrong'

At the parish council meeting, some residents shared concerns about an increase of car and heavy goods vehicle movements to the site.

Holyport resident and police officer Hannah Wheeler said: "This isn't levelling up; it's piling up and it does not need to be here at all."

Councillor David Coppinger said "it's so wrong" to develop the film and TV studio on the green belt unnecessarily when the council already has a local plan.

An artists impression of the 43 hectare site along Gay's Lane, close to the historic Bray Studios

Oliver Ralton from Greystoke Land said the studios need the space to meet the increasing need for film and TV studios, particularly in the south-east region which is connected to London and Heathrow.

He added the economic benefits and the landscaping works outweigh the impact on green-belt land.

Bray parish councillors voted to submit an objection to the council and urge planning officers to refuse the scheme.