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 is expected to begin in August, and the studios to open in July 2025. [5]
Folkestone is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned and operated by Netflix, Inc. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced by the media company of the same name from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple languages.
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) southeast of central London and 15.3 miles (24.6 km) northwest of Folkestone by road. At the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,405. 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.
The Borough of Ashford is a local government district with borough status in Kent, England. It borders five other Kent districts, as well as East Sussex to the south-west. Ashford Borough Council's main offices are in the town of Ashford. The borough was formed on 1 April 1974, by the merger of the then Borough of Tenterden with Ashford urban district as well as the Rural Districts of East Ashford, West Ashford and Tenterden. Covering 58,000 hectares, it is the largest district by area in Kent.
Willesborough is a village, now in effect a residential suburb, on the eastern side of Ashford, Kent, England.
Ashford International railway station is a National Rail station in Ashford, Kent, England. It connects several railway lines, including High Speed 1 and the South Eastern Main Line. Services are operated by Southeastern and Southern.
Ebbsfleet International railway station is in Ebbsfleet Valley, Kent, 10 miles east of London, England, near Dartford and the Bluewater shopping centre to the west and Gravesend to the east. The station, part of the Thames Gateway urban regeneration project, is on the High Speed 1 rail line, 400 metres south-west of Northfleet railway station, off the A2 trunk road, 5 mi (8.0 km) from its junction with the M25 motorway. It served as a primary park-and-rail service for the London 2012 Olympics.
Ashford railway works was a major locomotive and wagon construction and repair workshop in Ashford, Kent in England. Constructed by the South Eastern Railway in 1847, it became a major centre for railway works in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After years of decline, it closed in 1982.
Smartlink was a passenger bus transit system link proposed in 2006 between the town centre of Ashford, Kent, England and its suburbs and main amenities.
Newtown is a suburb of Ashford in Kent, South East England. It was built by the South Eastern Railway (SER), south-east of the railway station, alongside Ashford railway works. Originally designed for railway workers, the estate survived the closure of the works in the late 20th century, which is in the process of being redeveloped.
Matt Reeves is an American filmmaker who first gained recognition for the WB drama series Felicity (1998–2002), which he co-created with J. J. Abrams. Reeves came to widespread attention for directing the hit monster film Cloverfield (2008). He also directed the romantic vampire drama Let Me In (2010), and the critically acclaimed science fiction sequels Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). He directed the superhero film The Batman (2022), which stars Robert Pattinson as the title character.
Skydance Media, LLC is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with Paramount Pictures starting in 2009, and renewed the agreement twice extending to 2021. The company specializes in films, animation, television, video games, and sports.
Thanet Parkway railway station is a railway station under construction in Cliffsend, Kent, that will serve Discovery Park Enterprise Zone and new housing developments. It is due to open on 31 July 2023.
Ashford College is a further education college in Ashford, Kent founded in August 2014. It has been run by EKC Group since April 2020, when it was acquired from the West Kent and Ashford College corporation. Susan Bonett became Principal of the College in 2021, replacing Victoria Copp-Crawley. Its campus is situated on Elwick Road with work to expand the facilities beginning in 2022 after receiving substantial government funds.
Park Farm railway station, also known as Kingsnorth railway station was a proposal for a railway station in Kent on the Marshlink line between Ashford International and Ham Street stations. The station would serve the Park Farm and Cheeseman's Green development areas. In December 2018 it was announced that the station would not be built.
Max, or HBO Max outside the United States, is an American subscription video on-demand (SVOD) over-the-top streaming service. It is the property of a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment, which is itself a division of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). First launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service offers content from the libraries of Warner Bros., Discovery Channel, HBO, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Eurosport, and their related brands. The service also carries first-run original programming under the "Max Originals" banner, programming from the HBO pay television service, and content acquired via either third-party library deals or co-production agreements.