Ashford International Studios is a proposed multi-media commercial and residential site in Newtown, a suburb of Ashford, Kent, in England, on the site of the former Ashford railway works, adjacent to Ashford International station.
Ashford International Studios is a proposed multi-media commercial and residential site in Newtown, a suburb of Ashford, Kent, in England, on the site of the former Ashford railway works, adjacent to Ashford International station.
The project was created after the site of the railway works had lain dormant for over 30 years, and following a report by the British Film Institute that the film industry requires 10,000 further employees in the next five years, along with around two million square feet (190,000 m2) of additional space. [1] The town council has said that although on-location filming is popular in Kent, citing films such as Avengers: Age of Ultron and Into The Woods , there are no appropriate local production facilities. [2]
The site covers 500,000 square feet (46,000 m2) and includes five Grade II listed buildings, and is a joint scheme between Ashford Borough Council and the privately funded Quinn Estates. Plans were first approved by the council in April 2020. [3] The existing listed buildings on site, including the railway sheds, will be developed around and incorporated into the final design. [1] As of June 2022, the site is 65% funded by the council. [4] Facilities include a hotel, 300 apartments, a restaurant and a multi-story car park. Netflix, Amazon and HBO have all expressed interest in operating on the site. [5] The project has been approved by local Member of Parliament Damian Green. [6]
The studios were originally planned to open in 2022, but progress was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Quinn Estates hoped work could be completed by 2023. [7] The project was boosted in October 2022 by a £14.7 million boost from the government's Levelling Up Fund. [8] In March 2023, the council agreed to a £50m loan to secure funding for development. [9] Around £400,000 has been funded for improvements in road access to the site, including the nearby A2070 road. [10] Preliminary enabling and infrastructure works began to take place in 2023. [6]
Full construction was expected to begin that August, and the studios to open in July 2025. [5] However, in September 2024, the company running the scheme said it had failed to find an operator, with the four candidates saying there was no "viable business proposition". [11]
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Ashford is a town in the Ashford district, in the county of Kent, England. It lies on the River Great Stour at the southern or scarp edge of the North Downs, about 61 miles (98 km) by road southeast of central London and 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Folkestone by road. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 83,213. The name comes from the Old English æscet, indicating a ford near a clump of ash trees. It has been a market town since the Middle Ages, and a regular market continues to be held.
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The Borough of Tunbridge Wells is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It takes its name from its main town, Royal Tunbridge Wells. The borough also contains the towns of Paddock Wood and Southborough, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Large parts of the borough fall within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The Borough of Ashford is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It is named after its largest town, Ashford, where the council is based. The borough also includes the town of Tenterden and an extensive surrounding rural area including numerous villages; with an area of 580 square kilometres (220 sq mi), it is the largest district in Kent. Parts of the borough lie within the designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty of High Weald and the Kent Downs.
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