Credit: Marlow Studios

Government approves £750 million development of Marlow Film Studios in UK

Wed 26 November 2025 15:27, UK

The UK government has approved plans for the new £750 million Marlow Film Studios in Buckinghamshire.

The decision was made following an appeal after Buckinghamshire Council previously rejected the proposed Marlow Film Studios due to concerns from locals in 2024.

Following the rejection, Housing Secretary Steve Reed intervened to help get Marlow Film Studios over the line due to the expected economic benefits attached to growing the UK’s film industry.

Developer Dido Property Limited will bring Marlow Film Studios to life, which is expected to feature a number of workshops, offices and 18 sound stages.

The project has received public support from a number of huge names from the movie industry, including James Cameron and Sam Mendes.

Robert Laycock, the chief executive of Marlow Film Studios, said in a statement following the successful appeal, “The secretary of state’s determination is a real vote of confidence in the UK and in its creative industries.”

Laycock continued, “Regenerating a poorly landfilled site to enable new careers and pass on exceptional skills in this world-beating British industry is the right decision. It’s a signal to investors who aim for high-quality development, done in the right way.”

Victoria Du Croz, the head of planning at the law firm Forsters, claimed the decision to approve planning shows the possible economic benefits to the project despite the environmental impact, stating, “Steve Reed’s decision notes that the development of the film studio would cause potential harm to the green belt through inappropriateness and openness.”

She added, “The decision gave greater weight to the wider benefits to justify this development in the green belt, including its alignment with the growth agenda given it would attract global investment. The government’s growth agenda is its core focus and with millions of square feet of studio space playing host to some of the top films of the current day, the wider economic benefit is hard to turn down.”

However, the decision to give the green light to Marlow Film Studios has been criticised by the local campaign group, Save Marlow’s Greenbelt.

While they will not be challenging the decision, their leader, Sam Kershaw, said to The Guardian, “We believe the development will cause significant and lasting harm to the environment, the local community, and the landscape.”

Kershaw also confirmed the group “will continue to defend Marlow’s green belt against inappropriate development”.