Sunset Studio launches new Hertfordshire-based, high-end location

Sunset Studio has established a £700 million film and TV studios facility set to be built in Hertfordshire creating more than 4,500 jobs, a US private equity firm has announced. “We are excited to expand our partnership with Hudson Pacific into the UK and intend to deliver a world-class studio facility that will help ensure that the UK continues to be a premier destination for content production globally,” James Seppala, head of Blackstone Real Estate Europe, said. 

Global investor Blackstone and real estate giant Hudson Pacific Properties have revealed plans to launch the "center for film, TV and digital production" in Broxbourne resembling studios such as Warner Bros. "This is a continuation of our thematic investment focus and long-term conviction in media, entertainment, and content creation,”  Seppala said.

 The development will be the first Sunset Studios operation outside of the US, where the partnership runs four studios. Blackstone and Hudson Pacific have acquired a 91-acre site, 17 miles north of central London, through a joint venture for £120 million. The companies said the total investment in the project, which is set to create more than 4,500 permanent jobs, is expected to be more than £700 million including the land purchase.

If approved, Sunset is expected to be the largest film and TV studio campus in the UK, with between 15 and 25 sound stages contributing £300m a year to the local economy. The site will be about 20 miles east of Warner Bros Studio in Leavesden, home to the Harry Potter series.

The group currently owns three studios in Hollywood and unveiled plans for a fourth Sunset Glenoaks last week. It is understood the new studio is planned to be larger than other rivals such as Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, where James Bond and Star Wars movies have been filmed. Sunset Studios has hosted major small and big-screen hits including "When Harry Met Sally," "La La Land," and numerous other award-winning films.