Pinewood report calls on coalition to back clusters

The report was commissioned by facilities group Pinewood Shepperton as it seeks to convince planning chiefs to grant permission for a major expansion to its Pinewood site.

It comes as facilities around the country are attempting to create their own media villages.

Wimbledon Studios last month announced that three more firms had moved into its fledgling media village, while The Greenhouse at MediaCityUK this week said that 30 creative companies are now based at its site.

The report argued that tightly grouped communities of firms involved in the same industry could benefit from shared infrastructure costs, matching customers and labour to specific needs, and sharing information and ideas.

“Industrial clusters have the potential to enhance private sector growth at a time when it is badly needed across the UK,” the report stated.

“Enabling clusters of complementary businesses to form and develop is one way of supporting growth sectors. The coalition needs to continue to explore policies that allow this to happen.”

It found that aside from signalling its intention to reduce red tape and headline rates of corporation tax, details of how the coalition intends to support sectors such as the creative industries remain unclear.

The report cited Silicon Valley in California and the UK’s Cambridge biotech cluster as successful examples of the private sector building on public assets.

Pinewood aims to build 1,500 homes among working sets of streetscapes.

It concluded its Project Pinewood appeal last month (12 May). The final decision will be made by secretary of state for communities and local government Eric Pickles.

The creative industries, including TV and film, are one of four key sectors identified by the not-for-profit foundation as an important source of economic growth for the next decade. They are expected to play a key role in driving employment and export growth.