Westmeath is to become home to the biggest studios in western Europe.
Construction on the major film studio campus in Westmeath is expected to begin in late October.
Hammerlake Studios plans to construct Ireland's biggest ever film studio on a 25-acre site in Lough Sheever Corporate Park in Mullingar to attract large-scale blockbuster film, television and content productions from the US and around the world.
According to the company, the development is expected to generate €50 million annually for the Mullingar economy.
The planning application took a significant step forward with confirmation of approval "in principle" by Westmeath County Council on July 12th. That means the decision will now go before the elected councillors to be finalised. That vote will take place during the September monthly meeting of Westmeath County Council.
Construction will take place in two phases.
Phase one, totaling 236,000 square-feet, will comprise four studios or 'sound stages' suitable for large-scale film and television production, an administrative building, workshops, data technology centres, editing rooms, food, fitness and other amenities.
Construction is estimated to take 12 months with film production operations to commence from the first quarter of 2024.
350 production jobs and 300 construction jobs will be created in phase one.
READ MORE: Planning Process Officially Begins In Westmeath For "Largest Film Studios In Western Europe"
Phase two, which will be submitted for planning approval in summer 2023, will see an additional seven studios added to the campus, bringing the total footprint to 460,000 square-feet. Hammerlake estimates a minimum of 1,000 production jobs upon full commencement of phase two operations in 2025.
300 people will be employed in the construction of Phase One, totaling over 230,000 square feet in size and due for completion in spring 2024.
350 production jobs are set to be created upon completion.
Second phase will bring job creation to over 1,000 by 2025, with the 11-stage campus totaling 460,000 square-feet.
Director of Development and Studio Operations at Hammerlake, Tom Dowling say they're delighted with the reception they've received in Mullingar and happy to support the local economy.
He's been chatting to Will Faulkner on Midlands Today about the jobs that'll be created and the impact the project will have locally...
The design of the new studio places a high emphasis on creative technologies, including virtual capabilities, to accommodate large-scale and high-end digital productions.
On sustainability, Hammerlake Studios says its design provides for insulated building fabric to decrease heat loss, mechanical and smart technology systems to ensure minimal operational energy consumption, water saving and harvesting equipment, low power density lighting and electric vehicle charging. Solar panels on site will reduce grid dependency, while any required electricity will be from green sources.
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