There are currently a trio of plans that seem to be in the running to be, or become, Scotland’s main international film and television studio.
They have been, it is fair to state, trailed or promised for years. The lack of real action or development of a major film studio was behind a lot of the frustration expressed by film director Tommy Gormley in Holyrood yesterday.
He is not alone.
Indeed, a call for a major Scottish studio complex has been made almost every year for the last 20 years, or more. Meanwhile, Northern Ireland has Game Of Thrones, Wales is building a studio, and Yorkshire has a major facility.
The Pentlands Studio plan has received, perhaps, the most publicity. It was granted “planning in principle” by Scottish ministers in December. Earlier last year, in a long-running series of decisions over the plan, ministers said they were minded to back the multi-million pound plan to build a series of large sound stages at Straiton, Midlothian.
The plan calls for two sites to include the studios, backlots, a hotel, an energy centre or power plant and educational facilities, its developers, PSL Ltd, say.
The developers are now working on planning in detail, and last night issued a new image of what it hopes the studio to look like.
However, the plan is not without controversy: Green MSPs have opposed the plan, as has the family of a tenant farmer, Jim Telfer, who works on some of the land involved.
The second plan is one of further development: at Wardpark Studios, Cumbernauld, where the Outlander TV series is shot.
Its owner, Terry Thomson, said it is likely to expanded this year. He has acquired two industrial blocks adjacent to the site of a new planned sound stage and have an option on a third. He said he hopes to have contractors on site this year.
The studio complex, if it is developed, is well placed in Scotland, in the Central Belt and within reasonable distance to Glasgow Airport, and sits next to the M80.
The project has already received £4 million from Scottish Enterprise.
Mr Thomson has said he receives inquiries from TV and movie producers every other week.
The third plan is that being prepared by Guardhouse, a primarily American-backed development, which is being led by Surya Iacono, president of the company behind the bid.
There have been changes in this plan of late: it was initially to be based on land near Heriot Watt University. However, a deal could not be struck over the land involved. Now it is looking at nine other sites in Scotland, and is “fully committed” to building in the country.
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