Scotland set for major studio on MoD land

Stirling is to be the location of a major new film and HETV studio campus set to boost Scotland’s offering as a filming destination. 

Located on former Ministry of Defence land, Stirling Studios will contain 100,000 sq ft of studio space and 110,000 sq ft for production, logistics and office space.  

With the founders calling Stirling “among the biggest film studio campuses in Scotland”, the capacity and flexibility of the space is expected to fill current gaps in the market for TV and film production, as well as supporting the sector’s growth in Scotland.  

Meanwhile an independent economic assessment on the site has estimated that the facilities will create more than 4,000 jobs in 25 years, ranging from tradespeople, to costuming, hairdressing and make-up. The studios’ proximity to Glasgow and Edinburgh was also highlighted as an advantage in growing the Scottish TV sector. 

The development is supported by repurposing a portion of the £19m grant to Stirling Council from the UK government’s Levelling Up Fund. Some of the existing buildings on the MoD land at Forthside will be retained and refurbished for the campus, while the remainder of the land will be redeveloped and cleared. The MoD land has been transferred to the council through a £214m partnership between two councils, the University of Stirling and the UK and Scottish governments.  

Carol Beattie, chief exec of Stirling Council, said: “In a previous role as director of creative industries for Scottish Development International, I knew there was still an opening for more production space in Scotland. At that point, I spent time in London speaking to the British Film Commission and studio operators such as Pinewood, Three Mills and Warner Brothers to understand the specifications of a good site. 

“When I saw the unique buildings and location at Forthside, I considered it to be a fantastic fit, which has since been confirmed through our close consultation with the industry, including Screen Scotland.” 

John Lamont, UK government minister for Scotland, said: “The UK Government is committed to making sure that Scotland and the wider UK remains an attractive location for film and high-end TV productions. That is why we have supported our world-leading creative industries with £1bn in tax reliefs. In total, we are investing £72 million in levelling up Stirling and Clackmannanshire and more than £3 billion across Scotland.” 

Isabel Davis, executive director of Screen Scotland, said: “This new site will only add to Scotland’s considerable offering as a filming destination.”