Blackstone and Hudson Pacific Properties, a real estate investment trust who provide solutions for tech and media tenants, received planning approval on Monday 18 July for Sunset Waltham Cross Studios, a major film and television studio facility planned for Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. The studio is an expansion of Sunset Studios in Hollywood, which is home to Academy Award winning films and many famous productions, such as When Harry Met Sally and La La Land. With a target completion date of 2025, the 21-stage complex is set to become a hub for both UK and international film and television productions, and is expected to create over 4,800 jobs and contribute around £300 million a year to the local economy.
Sunset Waltham Cross Studios is one of Baker Consultants’ longest running projects, with ecological studies having taken place at the site since 2011. As part of the recent planning application, we produced both the Ecological Impact Assessment and the Habitat Regulations Assessment for the site. The site’s design has efficiency and biodiversity at front-of-mind and will become one of the most sustainable studios in the UK, with sustainability initiatives in place to lower the carbon impact of film production and to achieve 10% Biodiversity Net Gain through the provision of a South Meadow parkland area.
The studios will also target a BREEAM Excellent rating and LEED Gold Certification, to demonstrate that sustainability has been achieved through addressing carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health and indoor environmental quality. Both of these certifications will see the development in the top 10% of new non-domestics buildings in the UK for sustainability performance.
Carlos Abrahams, Director of Bioacoustics at Baker Consultants, said “After repeatedly undertaking surveys at this site for the past eleven years, it is great to see the proposed development gaining planning consent. In addition, it will be interesting to see the site transition from large arable fields to the studio complex and public greenspace in the South Meadow, achieving Biodiversity Net Gain for the development.”
Find out more about the complex here.
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