County Council rolls out the red carpet in a bid to entice a 'major' film studio to Derbyshire

Derbyshire’s council leadership is “rolling out the red carpet” to entice a company to set up a major film studio in the county.

Cllr Rob Reaney, Reform’s deputy Derbyshire County Council leader, is at the helm of the bid to plug a regional gap in film production.

He claims less than one per cent of the UK’s TV and film production is taking place in the East Midlands and that this industry blackspot could be catered for within Derbyshire, with most currently looking to Manchester, Sheffield or Birmingham.

Cllr Reaney told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the intended location of the potential large film studio would be on the 428-acre “East Midlands Intermodal Park” opposite Toyota’s Burnaston HQ, next to the A38/A50 roundabout.

The intermodal park is a core part of the East Midlands Freeport which includes a variety of financial incentives such as tax breaks for companies setting up shop in the area. Cllr Reaney said this could be an attractive offer.

He also said the proposed plan would be to offer the 321-acre Elvaston Castle Country Park estate – and particularly its campsite – as a base for production companies to accommodate their crew, cast and extras during filming.

Cllr Reaney hopes to follow in the footsteps of Sunderland City Council which is behind a bid to launch a £450 million film studio in the North East on an 80-acre site, backed by £25 million from the Government and £120 million from the local authority and North East mayoral authority.

He hopes the East Midlands Combined Authority, through Mayor Claire Ward, will be receptive to the bid and help support a business case for the plan, albeit with smaller financial figures in mind.

The facility, he hopes, would introduce a new industry to the county, boosting the economy with jobs and investment.

This comes on the back of numerous large productions making use of Derbyshire, particularly the Peak District, occasionally over the years.

Mission Impossible, Batman, House of the Dragon (a Game of Thrones spin-off), Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice, Star Wars spin-off Andor, Jane Eyre, The Princess Bride, Mary Queen of Scots, The League of Gentlemen and This is England have all filmed in Derbyshire, largely using its rural landscapes such as the Peak District, quarries and stately homes like Chatsworth House.

Cllr Reaney said: “What we have identified is a big gap in the East Midlands for film studios. There are no film studios in Derbyshire. Most of the UK film industry is based in London or down south.

“I am talking to film people and trying to attract film studios into the East Midlands. It would be nice to have one per county but obviously I am pressing for Derbyshire first.

“We are offering Elvaston Castle as a film studio council. Films can have 250 people on-site for three months and they hate staying in hotels and Elvaston has a campsite we can enliven and it has a heritage background.

“Elvaston has not been on camera for years. The Mayor’s office are interested, they are helping with one in Derby.”

Last week, Derby City Council approved plans for a film studio and stunt training academy in the former Aida Bliss factory in Chester Green.

In 2023, it was revealed that MARV Studios, known for blockbusters such as Rocketman and the Kingsman franchise, was looking to invest £13 million into the building.

Cllr Reaney continued: “What we are looking for is a major studio to come into the area.

“We have got some tax-free sites to generate investment and the Derbyshire one is next to Toyota.

“The idea would be to build the film studio on the tax-free site which would give them a very warm welcome here, tax breaks for a decade, and use Elvaston as a camp.

“Not only would that bring jobs but it promotes Derbyshire.

“There is a missing industry here. We have got a market gap and they currently focus on the cities. We need the countryside filming a bit, which will bring in tourism.

“We are perhaps not looking at the same level of funding as Sunderland but we are rolling out the red carpet for interested parties.

“The quarry people are on board, if the film people want to go and blow the quarries up it will save them doing it.

“The heritage people are keen, they all want cameras pointed at the mills.

“The comments I have had from film people is that they are very happy to zoom into the area and do the odd bit but to come here and do lots and lots of stuff they would need a film studio.

“We have marinas, we have the World Heritage Site, there is a lot we can open up if we have this film studio and we are giving that message.

“We are looking for major film studios to take an interest.

“Everybody is interested, they just want to know the why, the where and how much.

“The number of stories in the East Midlands that have never made it to the screen, we have got a tonne of fresh material here."