ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS.
FROM MOLTON IRON TO WORLD CLASS CONTENT.
LOCATION // ASHFORD, KENT, UK
OFFERING // STUDIOS / PICTURE / SOUND / WORKSPACE / SOCIAL
PARTNER // QUINN ESTATES
ARCHITECTS // HOLLAWAY STUDIO
JOBS // 2035
GDV // £172M
STATUS // PLANNING GRANTED WITH TARGET COMPLETION DATE OF 2023
STORY.
Ashford International Film Studios will become the anchor tenant at the Newtown Works complex in Ashford, Kent. Widely regarded as one of Kent’s most important regeneration projects, Ashford Borough Council resolved to grant consent in April 2020 for an ambitious £250m film studio development.
The studio forms an important component of this mix-use scheme being developed by Quinn Estates in partnership with The Creative District Company.
HERITAGE.
The site was historically a railway production and maintenance use. The site has a long and detailed planning history dating from 1847 when the locomotive works were originally built to serve the London and Dover railway to its subsequent closure and transfer of locomotive works to Eastleigh in 1962. It was once extensively covered by buildings with previous uses including commercial industrial and storage, leisure, retail, a café, as well as a gymnasium.
In 1984, extensive demolition was undertaken across the site by the British Railways Board of Works. These works removed all buildings from the site except those which stand today. These buildings were specifically designed and built for industrial and rail purposes and, over time, have been subdivided or converted into smaller light industrial commercial units.
Future.
Once completed Ashford International studios will become the leading film and television production facility within Kent and the South East region.
Unique within the industry, AIS has a focus on providing an end to end service to its clients through the provision of stages, ancillary production facilities as well as post production and creative workspace.
Included within the wider development will be hotel, dining and educational facilities, all of which will support the production activity at AIS both in terms of accommodation as well as its future workforce, future proofing it for decades to come.
INVENTORY.
27,000 square foot Media Village designed for SME's and fledgling freelancers.
80,000 square feet of world class film studios 1:1 ratio of supporting ancillary space, including modern production offices, warehouse, storage and mills stores
90,000 square feet of converted accommodation within former engine sheds consisting of B1 workspace, retail, gym and D1 accommodation.
120 bedroom 4/5-star hotel
375 space multi-storey car park
62 serviced apartments
Conference + Events centre
On-site restaurant