A proposed £45m investment in six new film and TV studios at Belfast Harbour is expected to generate an additional 1,000 creative sector jobs.
Northern Ireland has been a popular filming location for the past several years, with productions such as Game of Thrones helping to put the region on the map. Belfast Harbour Studios opened three years ago with two 32,000 sq ft studio buildings and around 125,000 sq ft of production space, and has been used for shows such as SyFy's Krypton TV series.
Belfast Harbour has now submitted planning permission to expand the studio space with the construction of six new purpose-built film and TV studios. The expansion will add mor ethan 346,000 sq ft of studio space, production offices, and support workshops on-site.
The £45m total investment is expected to generate around 250 construction jobs and will bolster the local film industry when complete, supporting around 1,000 creative industry jobs. This second phase of the studio's construction is expected to to be completed in 2021 and will by one of the largest studio spaces of its kind in the UK.
Northern Ireland Screen CEO Richard Williams commented on the opportunity the new studio space represents: "With Disney and Apple joining Netflix and Amazon in investing in the launch of their own on-demand streaming services, there is no end in sight to the demand for high-end, high-cost content. That has led to unprecedented demand for studio space globally, so Belfast Harbour’s announcement comes at a perfect time for our local industry."
Belfast Harbour CEO Joe O’Neill commented on the decision to invest in the new space, saying "The location is highly accessible, is serviced by ultra-high speed internet connections and benefits from a skilled local workforce that has proven its ability to help deliver some of the world’s best film and television content. This new studio complex will build on Northern Ireland’s already impressive international reputation and generate around 1,000 creative industry jobs across a wide variety of disciplines."
Source: Written based on press release
