Scotland set for major film and TV studio in Stirling

Stirling Studios, which is backed by Stirling Council, will become one of the biggest media hubs in Scotland.

The studios will be located on former Ministry of Defence land at Forthside which has been transferred to the Council through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal – a £214 million partnership between Stirling and Clackmannanshire Councils, the University of Stirling and the UK and Scottish Governments.

The project has been supported by repurposing a proportion of the £19m grant secured by the council from UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF) for the redevelopment and regeneration of Forthside.

An independent economic impact assessment has estimated the project will create over 4,000 jobs in 25 years in a range of occupations, with the positive impacts filtering down the wider supply chains.

Some of the existing buildings on the MoD land will be retained and refurbished for the film and high-end TV campus. The remainder of the land will be redeveloped and cleared.

Experts have assessed there is currently 100,000 sq ft of studio space and 110,000 sq ft for production, logistics and office space at the site.

Stirling Council Chief Executive Carol Beattie said: “In a previous role as Director of Creative Industries for Scottish Development International, I knew there was still an opening for more production space in Scotland. At that point, I spent time in London speaking to the British Film Commission and studio operators such as Pinewood, Three Mills and Warner Brothers to understand the specifications of a good site. When I saw the unique buildings and location at Forthside, I considered it to be a fantastic fit, which has since been confirmed through our close consultation with the industry, including Screen Scotland.”