黑洞社区

London mayor Sadiq Khan has given the green light to a 拢110m plan by PRP Architects to build new film studios in Dagenham.

The scheme, which was approved by local councillors last month, is being masterminded by Barking and Dagenham鈥檚 regeneration company Be First which has pledged more than 拢3m to cover any pre-development costs.

Last week the government awarded a 拢5m grant to the studios as part of the Getting 黑洞社区 Fund.

Jules Pipe, deputy mayor for planning, this week took the decision to allow Barking & Dagenham to determine the planning case itself.

The complex will be built at a 20-acre plot opposite Dagenham East train station at a site previously occupied by French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi.

The Made in Dagenham studios will eventually include six sound stages, training facilities, amusement attractions, shops and restaurants.

Be First, which is masterminding a 拢1bn revamp of the area, said it was in talks with joint venture partners about the studios. The firm said it could end up building out the site and leasing it back to an operator. Its managing director Pay Hayes said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e now assessing our delivery options and we expect to make a further announcement late in the autumn.鈥�

Last autumn, the original preferred bidder to run the site pulled out citing the then impasse over Brexit.

Pacifica Ventures, the Los Angeles-based studio behind the hit TV series Breaking Bad, was made preferred bidder for the site in 2018.