New Thamesmead film studios approved

Proposals for a new film studio in Thamesmead have been approved by Greenwich Council’s Planning Board this week.

Indie-Zero are part of a plan to open at Nathan Way at a site containing a warehouse being used as a church.

This site covered proposals back in January this year.

After a mammoth three hour plus discussion on new homes in Falconwood, the film studio plan sped through. You can view it from the 3:31 hr mark in this video.

Film studios and workshops areas will be located at ground floor and mezzanine level.

A terrace will be available for community use.

It appears an exciting proposal which adds to a burgeoning creative sector with Woolwich Works and Punchdrunk in Woolwich.

Mo-Sys have also announced a move from Morden Wharf in Greenwich – which is set for major development including 1,500-homes – to the old Plumstead power generating station. That will create a virtual production centre.

Cllr David Gardner raised the question of whether 58 parking spaces was too many. He questioned whether travel plans are actually monitored.

One key issue is that two thousand homes are also being built slight to the west in Plumstead which will increase traffic levels nearby.

Greenwich Planning Officer Andrew Harris stated there was a disagreement between TfL and Greenwich over the level of parking, it was in a strategic industrial area.

Of course bulky equipment would require transportation via vans and lorries, but are employees and visitors going to drive private vehicles given so many spaces?

An electric bus linking to Elizabeth line service was announced. However the 301 bus already runs to both Abbey Wood and Woolwich.

In future the 301 is due to be extended from Woolwich to serve new housing in Charlton which will also link to Thames-side studios. Just how useful their own bus will be – and for how long they keep it running – will be key.

Greenwich’s Planning Officer stated the electric bus could be used for those using bulky equipment, but it would then drop passengers at stations where the issue remains.

He also stated that it was “unfair” for church goers who may use any new space to be unable to drive and have to use public transport or walk.

What the area around Nathan Way does need is enforcement of pavements blocked by parked vehicles hampering pedestrian and cyclist access.

As the latest google streetview image shows, the walk from Plumstead station isn’t great. It’s another park-how-you-like area from a council who plead poverty when it comes to street improvements yet fail to enforce against poor parking.

Alas, ensuring walks from a nearby railway station are safe, accessible and unobstructed isn’t as sexy as an electric bus duplicating an existing high frequency bus so not likely to happen.

Still, on the whole it appears an excellent boost for the area and will further assist artistic and creative industries in the borough.