Plans for Film Studio Site to Include Data Centre

The Central Bedfordshire Council approved plans for the Home of Production studio at the former quarry of Quest Pit near Stewartby, Bedfordshire, in August 2023. However, construction was halted when the developer closed down. The landowners now seek to amend the approved plans to include data centres on the site, citing changes in film studio operations and the need for flexibility in associated facilities.

The existing application includes film studios, sound stages, and workshops. Quest Pit Limited, the landowners, declined to comment on the proposed amendment. Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, known for producing James Bond movies, is also planning to include a state-of-the-art data centre in its expansion project.

In a similar move, plans to build a film studio in High Wycombe were abandoned in 2024, with the company behind the project opting for a data centre development instead. Buckinghamshire Council stated that the commercial landscape changes made progressing a film studio project unlikely.