Scheme to include restoration of the grade II*-listed Langleybury Mansion
IFDO has received planning permission for proposals to build a film and TV studio complex in Hertfordshire which will include a restoration of the grade II*-listed Langleybury Mansion.
The early 18th century manor house is one of the most popular filming locations in the UK with The Crown, Downton Abbey, Paddington and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation among more than 100 productions which have been filmed there.
The new film hub scheme, designed for Ralph Trustees Limited, the owners of the adjacent Grove Hotel, will repair and enhance the mansion and its historic outbuildings while constructing new facilities on the site.
Donald Insall Associates is on the team as heritage consultant and conservation architect and will lead on the restoration aspect of the project.
New facilities will include a training facility for students, office space for film companies, several sound stages, a building for workshops, a backlot space and a cafe within the estate’s historic walled garden.
Some of these facilities will be housed within restored existing structures on the estate and some in new contemporary buildings, with planning images showing a series of low-rise timber and metal-clad buildings set in extensive parkland.
The development, which is located within the green belt, will also feature reinstated local habitats, 1,145m of new public footpaths, approximately 500m of new public cycle paths, and 1,694m of private cycle paths.
IFDO director Sarah Castle said the scheme will be a “thriving creative hub that not only bolsters the region’s film industry and provides opportunities for local people, but also enhances the surrounding landscape”.
“What makes this project special is the collaborative spirit of our team, whose shared vision has embraced both creative innovation and responsible stewardship through biodiversity, sustainability, and thoughtful design – crafting what we believe will be a fitting legacy for the Langleybury Estate,” she added.
Donald Insall Associates practice director Cordula Zeidler added: “Heritage sites need to continue evolving. Repairing and enhancing Langleybury Mansion and its outbuildings will allow them to continue operating as a desirable film location, and this ensures that the site can continue its legacy.
“IFDO’s thoughtful masterplan including vital support structures will add another significant layer to the cultural offering of this important site.”
IFDO is lead architect and masterplanner on the job with Mace acting as project manager, Define as landscape architect and Lichfields as planning consultant.
Others on the team include sustainability consultant Expedition, transport consultant Caneparo and film and TV industry consultant Location Collective.
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