What was once billed as a potential UK production hub—rumored to host Netflix’s next major international facility—has now officially collapsed. Officials in Ashford, a town 60 miles southeast of London, have abandoned a $35 million (approx. €27 million) film studio project in favor of building 200 affordable homes.
The studio, originally pitched as part of a sweeping redevelopment of Ashford’s historic Newtown Railway Works, had been greenlit in 2020 with planning approval for four soundstages, 303 apartments, an 18-story hotel, rooftop restaurant, and a 400-car parking structure. Despite receiving millions in public and private investment, the project failed to lock in a studio operator.
“We’ve exhausted every avenue toward landing a studio operator on that site without gambling tens of millions of dollars we simply don’t have,” said Noel Ovenden, leader of the Ashford Borough Council. “It’s time for a realistic plan B.”
Renderings of Ashford’s Creative District Film Studio that was to include 4 soundstages and a rooftop restaurant.
$35M In, Zero Stages Out
The Ashford International Development Company (AIDC)—a joint venture 65% owned by the Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and 35% by developer Quinn Estates—was the force behind the proposal. It had secured $18.5 million (€14.7 million) in Levelling Up grants from the UK government and drawn $16.4 million (€13 million) from a $63 million (€50 million) council-backed loan.
While the development was never officially tied to Netflix, industry chatter consistently pointed to the streamer as a potential anchor tenant. With Netflix aggressively expanding its production footprint in the U.S., including a $900 million New Jersey facility, the Ashford site may have simply lost its strategic edge.
Now, council leaders are proposing a new direction for the 12-acre parcel: drop the studio, hotel, and restaurant, and instead build 200 units of affordable or social housing.
Ashford’s Creative Pivot Becomes a Residential Reset
While the shift still requires new planning permissions—particularly because local policy does not mandate affordable housing in town center projects—Ovenden says it’s the most pragmatic use of the site.
“We don’t want another Elwick Place,” he said, referring to a prior local investment that struggled financially. “Ashford doesn’t need another expensive bet that may not generate a return.”
The historic engine sheds—some of the longest industrial buildings in the UK—are still being converted into over 300 apartments as originally planned. Additionally, infrastructure work has already been completed across the site, including underground drainage, utility services, and restorations to listed heritage buildings such as the clock tower and acetylene store.
“The site is now future-proofed,” said Ovenden. “Nobody’s been idle, and the work done is a long-term investment in the town’s viability.”
Critics Disappointed by the Loss of a Creative Hub
Not everyone is thrilled about the pivot. Councilmember Diccon Spain, a supporter of the studio initiative, called the move a letdown for Ashford’s future in media production.
“We’ve lost the employment opportunities this would’ve brought. We’re now looking at a housing-led scheme and potentially losing the creative identity we were trying to build,” he said.
Spain added that the site’s legacy and industrial heritage must be respected in the new plan, which will now be developed under tighter public scrutiny.
The decision to end the studio project has already been approved by Ashford’s cabinet and is expected to pass in a full council vote later this week.
While Ashford may no longer join the ranks of UK regional studio hubs like Belfast, Manchester, or Shepperton, officials hope the reimagined development will still deliver meaningful impact—just not with cameras rolling.
