EXCLUSIVE:The birthplace of Britpop and countless bands, Camden has music cred in spades.
Yoo Capitalis the real estate investment firm with the plans, which are now in the public domain.
The companys Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Lloyd Lee, unpacked the vision in an exclusive sit-down with Deadline.
The Camden Film QuarterGetty Images
The topline: Studio facilities, jobs, and a new neighborhood rooted in film and TV.
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Location, Location, Location
Kentish Town is in the London Borough of Camden.
Yoo Capital has bought eight acres of land in the area from Camden Council for the Film Quarter.
Getty/Maremagnum
Lee knows the location is a USP.
Youre creating a better experience for people, and there are not thousands of cars and people driving.
In 2028 it will become the first permanent UK home of Cirque du Soleil.
The Camden Masterplan
A masterplan has been published for the Camden Film Quarter.
It is a big-picture overview of the project with detailed designs to follow at the end of the year.
Soundstages could come onstream from 2027 and the first phase of the project be completed in 2028 or 2029.
There will be between eight and 12 soundstages in the first phase.
But inside the Camden Film Quarter, its totally open to the public.
It will take in dedicated spaces and tours, says Lee.
Film and television is not just about production, it is for an audience.
They should feel like theyre in the film and television corner of London.
Destination UK& Bridging the Skills Gap
The UK has numerous new, legacy and upcoming studio facilities.
Despite the premium TV market cooling, the demand is still there.
Netflix occupies space at Shepperton and Longcross and Disney has Pinewood.
Amazon announced last week it is buying Bray Studios.
These will rub shoulders with other sites such as Bad Wolf Studios in Wales and Shinfield in Berkshire.
For talent, its invariably a nice spot too.
But Lee acknowledges theres no point having pristine studio spaces without the people needed to make them work.
A new NFTS campus within the Camden Film Quarter will blood a new generation of talent.
Industry Buzz
Yoo Capital is aiming to create a space that chimes with the people making productions tick.
Its about do I love being here?
The idea is that related businesses will cluster around the Camden Film Quarter.
That creates a buzz of activity.
Everythings in the neighborhood.
That said, with so much on the line, the level of ambition is evident.
Lee says: Does it become one of the most sought-after studio campuses in the world?
Maybe, why shouldnt it?
It has to be right, but thats the aspiration.
