Plans for a mammoth film and television studio on a 25-acre site in the Midlands are a step closer to reality after the local authority announced it is considering contravening the county development plan to green-light the scheme.
Westmeath county councillors will now be required to vote on whether or not to grant permission for the development of Hammerlake Studios, a purpose-built film and television production campus on a site at Lough Sheever Corporate Park, Mullingar.
The studio is to be constructed in two phases, the first of which will comprise four sound stages, said Hammerlake Studios, the company behind the scheme, as well as offices, workshops and editing suites in a development over 236,000sq feet. Phase two will add another seven stages, bringing the total footprint of the studios to 460,000sq ft.
Once fully operational, the film campus could generate up to €50 million annually for the local economy, the company has estimated.
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Because of its size, the fate of phase one now rests with the elected members of the local authority after the local planning authorities found that the construction of Hammerlake would constitute a material contravention of the county development plan. Agreeing such a contravention would require the approval of three-quarters of the public representatives in a vote due to take place in September.
Public consultation
Ahead of that vote, the local authority has put the proposal out for public consultation and has requested more information. If approved, Hammerlake Studios said it could begin work on the initial phase in the first quarter of 2024, with construction expected to be completed within 12 months.
The company, which is understood to be backed by an international institutional investment and development fund, said it would seek planning permission for phase two in the summer of 2023.
Paul Chesney, chief executive officer of Hammerlake Studios, welcomed Westmeath County Council’s decision to put the scheme to a vote.
“It represents a significant step forward in our plans to build a world-class film and content production facility in Mullingar, one capable of accommodating the biggest and best film productions,” said Mr Chesney, a former executive vice-president at Universal Pictures.
Tom Dowling, director of development and studio operations at Hammerlake said the project would help meet demand for studio space in Ireland.
“While Ireland has three relatively large studio facilities in the Republic of Ireland, the global demand for studio space has been exceptionally high in recent years, said Mr Dowling, a former studio operations manager at Troy Studios in Limerick. “Mullingar’s close proximity to Dublin, its excellent road and rail network, the young workforce and the range of quality hotels matched our criteria for the location of our new sustainable and green film campus.”
