Plans for new TV studio in Shinfield approved

Plans for a new TV studio, part of the University of Reading's ambitious Cine Valley project in Shinfield, have been approved.

Members of Wokingham Borough Council's Development Control Committee approved the application at their meeting yesterday. The application for a new 4,591 sqm television studio had been recommended for approval by officers.

The University will continue to engage with the local community before the opening of the studios, encouraging involvement from local businesses and residents. Construction is likely to begin late 2021, with a view to the studio being open by the end of 2022.

Darren Browne, Commercial Director of the University of Reading, said:

"We are thrilled that the proposals have been approved by Wokingham Borough Council, the culmination of a great deal of detailed work by our team and our partners. It represents a great opportunity to further build on the growing film and TV ecosystem evolving through our Cine Valley vision, which will deliver significant investment and new jobs over the next few years.

"We look forward to working closely with the wider community as the studio plans are delivered over the coming year."  

Professor John Gibbs, Head of the School of Arts and Communication Design at the University of Reading, said:

"The new TV studio will potentially create the opportunity for a range of work experience, placement and mentoring schemes for University of Reading students, and enable us to work with other local partners to develop opportunities for young people from a diverse range of backgrounds. These schemes could provide training and routes to careers in a variety of fields important to the growing creative media industry, which has been marked as of economic importance to the wider UK economy."