Council tells Meridian Water film studios: 'That's a wrap'

Enfield Council had previously signed a 15-year deal to lease part of the housing development zone to Troubadour Theatres

Troubadour's Meridian Water Studios — Troubadour’s Meridian Water Studios

A temporary film studios occupying part of Enfield Council’s Meridian Water housing zone is set to become far more temporary than had previously been envisaged – with a decision now made to wrap up early.

Troubadour Theatres previously struck a 15-year deal with the council to operate a film and television studios in Hawley Road nearly six years ago, with the company launching its first productions from the site in 2021. This was part of the ‘meanwhile’ strategy adopted by the council for sites that were not yet ready to develop for housing.

Among a string of productions filmed at Meridian Water was Damsel, a fantasy film shot directly for Netflix and starring Millie Bobby Brown.

But now the council has decided to end the deal with Troubadour, ten years earlier than had originally been envisaged.

Although it had always intended to reclaim the site for housebuilding, the council says a recent decision to revise its strategy for Meridian Water, where 10,000 homes are due to the built, means that it must evict the film studios as soon as possible.

It’s understood that this move would then enable the council to sell the site directly to a developer, as it decided in February to ditch its own master-developer role for the housing zone and sell off much of the land it had previously acquired, amid a series of delays and escalating costs for the overall project.

A decision report signed off earlier this month explained: “The council has agreed to explore a revised strategy for the use of the northern Meridian Water sites.

“This changes the direction agreed a decade ago and where meanwhile solutions were sought pending the remediation of land. To facilitate the potential new strategy an exit of the existing meanwhile uses is required.”

It continued: “The scheme aimed to establish the site as a major centre for film and television production while supporting wider regeneration through a public theatre venue, training academy, and media and arts hub. The rationale was to establish a creative jobs economy whilst also providing a meanwhile use pending development.

“The existing occupation no longer aligns with the council’s strategic direction for Meridian Water. It is recognised that the creative economy has not grown in the way anticipated and new options are being considered. It is therefore necessary to progress a settlement agreement […] to facilitate the vacation of the site.

“This provides the clearest route to regularise the council’s position, end the current occupation and secure vacant possession. Security arrangements will be put in place following vacant possession. An indicative budget has been set aside for this purpose.”

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