‘Star Wars’ Studio Elstree Is “Dangerous” And Needs $256M Worth Of Repairs, Report Says
deadline.comThe future of the UK’s Elstree Film Studios is in doubt, according to a new report that concluded the studio needs a substantial cash injection to fund extensive repairs to fix its old and “dangerous” infrastructure.
Production to shoot on the studio lot include the original Star Wars series and Netflix’s The Crown. Hertsmere Borough Council, which owns Elstree Studios and commissioned the report, said the studio needs at least a £200million ($256m) cash injection to “replace life-expired buildings and ensure its competitiveness beyond the 21st century.” The report states that the roofs of some stages on the lot have reached “dangerous” levels, with some walls on the lot only expected to last between 10-15 years due to extensive asbestos damage.
However, in the report, the local council states that it “cannot continue to invest” in the studio. Council leaders instead state they can commit to investing £90,000 in consultancy fees to map out a “way forward.” The proposal will be debated at a council meeting later this month.
Hertsmere Council acquired the studio complex from property firm Brent Walker in 1996 when it was in a “very dilapidated state,” according to the BBC. £22m of public funds was spent on the complex.
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