Latest news with #filmstudio
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Angela Rayner blocks plans for huge film studio in countryside village
Angela Rayner has blocked plans for a new film studio the size of 66 football pitches in a Berkshire village. The Housing Secretary said plans for the studios, which would have been the third-largest in the UK, would have been harmful to the green belt and backed claims they were 'simply not needed'. Greystoke Land, an investment company, applied for planning permission to build the complex next to the village of Holyport, near Maidenhead, in 2022. The £260 million plans included sound stages, workshops, offices, a multi-storey car park and a roundabout. It would also have included a 'media village' with a virtual reality studio and an area for open-air filming. Studios 'simply not needed' Councillors at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead rejected the application in March 2024, as they agreed with a planning report that said green belt development should only be allowed in 'very special circumstances' and that the studios were 'simply not needed'. The council said the case for the studio was 'overstated' because several others had already been built nearby. It also made the case that less TV and film are being made in the UK, citing statistics from the British Film Institute that the production volume fell by a quarter between 2022 and 2024. The company argued that the studios would provide economic benefits to the local area, and that the threat to green belt land had been 'exaggerated' by the council. The site, which spans more than 100 acres, is currently made up of fields on either side of a narrow lane near the village of Holyport, which dates back to the 13th century and was once home to the British racing driver Stirling Moss. The studio developers said the project offered 'the opportunity to create an entirely new film studio complex directing hundreds of millions of pounds of new investment into the local economy, and creating hundreds of new jobs'. Not considered 'alternative sites' The company's appeal was heard in November, then 'called in' by Ms Rayner's department for a final decision to be taken by ministers. She agreed with planning inspectors that 'there is likely to be sufficient capacity within existing studio space' for the industry in Berkshire and the rest of the South East 'for the immediate future'. She also argued that Greystoke had not searched enough for 'reasonably alternative sites' that would not have such a significant impact on the green belt. Responding to the appeal, the junior minister Matthew Pennycook said Ms Rayner was 'not persuaded that a clear and convincing need case has been demonstrated'. In a letter published on Friday, he insisted that the Government supports 'the growth of the creative industries in the UK'. But he said that the harm to green belt land 'is not clearly outweighed by other considerations and therefore there are no very special circumstances which would justify this development'. Labour to reduce green belt protections It comes despite Labour plans to relax protections for the green belt, which the Government said would help drive economic growth and the housing supply. Countryside campaigners have opposed the reforms, which made it easier to receive planning permission for green belt projects, especially on sites that have already been developed, now known as the 'grey belt'. Sir Keir Starmer said in December that he wanted to 'get the balance right with nature and the environment'. But he said that 'a human being wanting to have a house' would be the Government's priority, rather than protecting unspoiled land or commercial developments. The new grey belt is defined as green belt land that 'does not strongly contribute to green belt purposes,' which include limiting urban sprawl, stopping towns merging into one another and preserving historical character.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plan for Holyport film studios refused by government
Plans to build one of the UK's biggest film and TV studios have been rejected by the company Greystoke Land had appealed to the government to allow the film studio to be built in Holyport, after councillors at the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) refused to grant planning minister for housing and planning Matthew Pennycook rejected the appeal on Friday, citing its "potential harm to the green belt".The BBC has approached Greystoke Land for comment. The investment company applied for permission to build the studio complex on both sides of Gays Lane in plans included sound stages, workshops, offices, footpaths, a multi-storey car park, a backlot filming area, a new roundabout, and a "media village" for post-production. In March 2024, councillors refused planning permission because of concerns about the green Land appealed and said the council had "exaggerated" the harm to the green belt and ignored its economic said there was a "pressing need for the proposed development".Property consultant Montagu Evans added: "This is no ordinary development proposal and nor is it one that meets a generic need that could be met anywhere."But RBWM said Greystoke had overstated the economic case for the studio, and the development of other studios in Berkshire and the south east meant there was less of a case for building another one in appeal was heard by a planning inspector last November, but government housing ministers said they would make the final Pennycook said the government supported "the growth of the creative industries in the UK" but there was "likely to be sufficient capacity within existing studio space" for the industry "for the immediate future". You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
Arab News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Ex-assistant testifies Sean ‘Diddy' Combs sexually assaulted her and used violence to get his way
NEW YORK: Sean 'Diddy' Combs ' former personal assistant testified Thursday that the hip-hop mogul sexually assaulted her, threw her into a swimming pool, dumped a bucket of ice on her and slammed a door against her arm during a torturous eight-year tenure. The woman, testifying at Combs' sex trafficking trial under the pseudonym 'Mia,' said Combs put his hand up her dress and forcibly kissed her at his 40th birthday party in 2009, forced her to perform oral sex while she helped him pack for a trip and raped her in guest quarters at his Los Angeles home in 2010 after climbing into her bed. 'I couldn't tell him 'no' about anything,' Mia said, telling jurors she felt 'terrified and confused and ashamed and scared' when Combs raped her. The assaults, she said, were unpredictable: 'always random, sporadic, so oddly spaced out where I would think they would never happen again.' If she hadn't been called to testify, Mia said, 'I was going to die with this. I didn't want anyone to know ever.' Speaking slowly and haltingly, Mia portrayed Combs as a controlling taskmaster who put his desires above the wellbeing of staff and loved ones. She said Combs berated her for mistakes, even ones other employees made, and piled on so many tasks she didn't sleep for days. 'It was chaotic. It was toxic,' said Mia, who worked for Combs from 2009 to 2017, including a stint as an executive at his film studio. 'It could be exciting. The highs were really high and the lows were really low.' Asked what determined how her days would unfold, Mia said: 'Puff's mood,' using one of his many nicknames. Mia said employees were always on edge because Combs' mood could change 'in a split second' causing everything to go from 'happy to chaotic.' She said Combs once threw a computer at her when he couldn't get a Wi-Fi connection. Her testimony echoed that of Combs' other personal assistants and his longtime girlfriend Cassie, who said he was demanding, mercurial and prone to violence. She is the second of three women testifying that Combs sexually abused them. Cassie, an R&B singer whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, testified for four days during the trial's first week, telling jurors Combs subjected her to hundreds of 'freak-offs' — drug-fueled marathons in which she said she engaged in sex acts with male sex workers while Combs watched, filmed and coached them. A third woman, 'Jane,' is expected to testify about participating in freak-offs. Judge Arun Subramanian has permitted some of Combs' sexual abuse accusers to testify under pseudonyms for their privacy and safety. The Associated Press does not identify people who say they're victims of sexual abuse unless they choose to make their names public, as Cassie has done. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering charges. His lawyers concede he could be violent, but he denies using threats or his clout to commit abuse. Mia testified that she saw Combs beat Cassie numerous times, detailing a brutal assault at Cassie's Los Angeles home in 2013 that the singer and her longtime stylist Deonte Nash also recounted in their testimony. Mia said she was terrified Combs was going to kill them all, describing the melee as 'a little tornado.' The witness recalled jumping on Combs' back in an attempt to stop him from hurting Nash and Cassie. Mia said Combs threw her into a wall and slammed Cassie's head into a bed corner, causing a deep, bloody gash on the singer's forehead. Other times, she said, Combs' abuse caused Cassie black eyes and fat lips. Mia said Combs sometimes had her working for up to five days at a time without rest as he hopped from city to city for club appearances and other engagements, and she started relying on her ADHD medication, the stimulant Adderall, as a sleep substitute. Combs, with residences in Miami, Los Angeles and the New York area, let Mia and other employees stay in his guest houses — but she wasn't allowed to leave without his permission and couldn't lock the doors, she testified. 'This is my house. No one locks my doors,' Combs said, according to Mia. Mia didn't appear to make eye contact with Combs, who sat back in his chair and looked forward, sometimes with his hands folded in front him, as she testified. Occasionally, he leaned over to speak with one of his lawyers or donned glasses to read exhibits. Mia kept her head down as she left the courtroom for breaks. She testified that she remains friends with Cassie.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cradle Film Studios Moves Forward as Backers Tout Plans for ‘Most Advanced, High-Tech Studio' in Africa (EXCLUSIVE)
The anticipated Cradle Film Studios took one step closer to completion this week after securing investment from the Industrial Development Corp. (IDC) and entering its financing stage, announced Known Associates Group executive chairman Joel Chikapa Phiri at the Cannes Film Festival. With the completion of a feasibility study on land earmarked for the 30-acre site outside Johannesburg, Phiri said plans are in motion to break ground in January 2026 for what he describes as 'the most advanced high-tech film studio complex in Africa.' More from Variety 'The Odyssey,' 'Maria' Filming Location Greece Hits Troubled Waters Over Ongoing Delays With 40% Cash Rebate Screen Nigeria Sets Ambitious Blueprint as Nollywood Makes History in Cannes: 'This Is a Coming of Age' for Prolific Industry Anupam Kher's 'Tanvi the Great' Reimagines Autism as a Superpower: 'Opposite of Normal Is Extraordinary' (EXCLUSIVE) Known Associates, which is developing the studios in partnership with Moonlighting Films, the largest production servicing company in Africa, announced the project in 2022. 'Cradle Film Studios represents a bold new chapter in African film infrastructure, combining world-class technology with a commitment to sustainability, skills development and cultural preservation,' Phiri said. The complex will sit adjacent to the Cradle of Humankind, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, around 30 miles from Johannesburg and just 10 minutes from an international airport. Spanning more than 440,000 square feet of total production space, it will include more than 160,000 square feet of high-tech sound stages, including Africa's most advanced virtual and smart stage; Africa's first indoor underwater stage, modelled on the concept designed by Pinewood Studios in the U.K.; and dedicated spaces for stunts, wardrobe, props, set dressing, artist support and post-production. Phiri also announced plans to establish Africa's first AI-integrated crew training academy, designed to build what he describes as 'a future-ready, locally anchored workforce' for global production. The project is being spearheaded by Nico Dekker, whose Cape Town Film Studios has played host to Hollywood productions including 'Mad Max: Fury Road' and Netflix's live-action 'One Piece' series. 'Our goal is to make CFS the most advanced, purpose-built film and virtual production studio in Africa — designed to attract both international and local productions,' said Dekker. 'With a sustainable development ethos, a highly skilled local workforce and an experienced leadership team, Cradle Film Studios is poised to redefine the future of film production on the continent.' Kagiso Bapela, head of services for the Strategic Business Unit at South Africa's Industrial Development Corp., added: 'The IDC supports projects across the media value chain — including television broadcasting, film studios, and new media platforms. Cradle Film Studios is a critical element of this value chain and aims to significantly enhance studio capacity in South Africa. It will promote the country as a high-tech filming destination supported by a skilled local crew. Additionally, Cradle Film Studios will contribute to skills development in Gauteng and foster transformation in studio infrastructure ownership.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fort Worth council considers state tax break to build movie studio in Alliance
Plans to build Hollywood-style production studio in far north Fort Worth could get a boost from the Fort Worth City Council. The council's nomination is part of a multistep process to get approval from the Texas Film Commission to waive state and local sales taxes related to the construction of the 224,000 square foot building. The city has been working to attract more film and television productions like 'Landman' and '1883.' Mayor Mattie Parker has lobbied the state Legislature to increase Texas' film incentive program. The state Senate approved a bill that would increase the incentive pool from $200 million to $500 million, but the bill awaits action by the House. The studio, at 2601 Spirit Drive, is expected to house two large sound stages, cost roughly $6.5 million, and create 82 jobs, according to an economic impact analysis provided by property owner Hillwood. Once completed, the studio could be used to shoot movies, televisions shows, score music or serve as office space for production companies Construction is expected to start this month and wrap up in November, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation The construction and operation of the sound stages are expected to generate $14.2 million in economic impact for Dallas-Fort Worth, and generate $4.6 million in wages, according to Hillwood's analysis. Fort Worth could be forgoing as much as $60,999 sales taxes over the two year period. The city expects the project to generate roughly $182,000 after the tax pause is lifted. The council is scheduled to vote on the nomination at its 10 a.m. meeting on May 20 at City Hall, 100 Fort Worth Trail.
