New £1 million film studio to be built in Swindon
It’s Lights, Camera, Action for Swindon's Carriage Works!
Last updated 21st Mar 2022
A new £1 million digital filmmaking studio is set to open in Swindon's Old Town, after a business case was approved by central government.
Ministers have sanctioned £400,000 of the project, to refurbish Unit 9 of the Carriage Works.
Local production company Create Studios, which has made films for organisations including the NHS, English Heritage and Chelsea FC, has been handed a 10-year lease for the Unit.
A new film studio and teaching space will now be built, with state-of-the-art equipment that is designed for modern digital production.
How will the project benefit Swindon?
The facility will be directly used by 16,000 people per year, as well as up to five million people online.
Young people across Swindon will be given training opportunities there, through a range of community projects and educational programmes.
It’s hoped the development will help bolster the local economy, by attracting a higher footfall to Old Town.
Nine full-time jobs will be created as part of the investment, which will also support an extra 50 artists, creatives and specialists.
The scheme is the latest to be approved as part of the Swindon Town Fund.
The Borough Council can bid for up to £25m from the government’s £3.6bn Towns Fund, earmarked to support economic growth in areas of the UK which Ministers deem to be "struggling".
'This facility will help us attract top talent to Swindon'
The 19th century Carriage Works is located within Swindon’s Heritage Action Zone, more commonly known as the Railway Village.
In total, the building is currently receiving £7.6 million of investment, to transform it into a modern business incubator.
Other organisations currently based there include the Royal Agricultural University’s Cultural Heritage Institute and the University of Bath’s iCAST centre.
Chairman of the Swindon Towns Fund Board, Richard Newland, said: "I’m really pleased that our strong business case has been approved.
"The creative sector is growing at a rapid rate and this new facility will help us to retain and attract top talent to Swindon, as well as give Create Studios the space to grow.
"There is still more work to be done at this historic site but it’s a very exciting time to be involved".