Lights, camera, action: $40 million film studio in Hawke's Bay one step closer to realisation
A new $40 million film studio development in Hawke's Bay has been given the green light, with resource consent granted by an independent commissioner.
Earlier this year Auckland-based company No.8 Studios Ltd lodged a resource consent application with Hastings District Council to build the studio on 24 hectares of land to be leased from a farm at Te Awanga Downs.
The development, known as Parkhill Studios, will be available for production companies to hire out for the filming and production of movie, television or web-based streaming content.
It will include two studio buildings, a production building, a construction workshop, a catering café, associated car parking and trailer parking areas, and a 2.5-kilometre-long private access road.
A rendering of the proposed Parkhill Studios in Te Awanga, Hawke's Bay. Photo/Supplied.
The application was heard by independent commissioner Kitt Littlejohn in October and November, with opposition from a group of residents close to the site near Parkhill Road mainly due to noise and traffic concerns.
In his decision released this week, Littlejohn said allowing the studio to establish and operate as proposed would “have positive effects and overall its adverse effects will be avoided or mitigated to an acceptable level by reference to the policy criteria for such matters in the Hastings District Plan”.
However, the consent comes with a number of conditions including the construction of a bicycle and pedestrian path along Parkhill Rd, changes to the intersection at East Rd and Parkhill Rd and restrictions on operating hours at the studio.
Derek Slade, one of three shareholders of No.8 Studios, said it is a "really exciting time".
“I’m pleased with the decision and pleased that it was in an environment where we all had a say and all those who were opposed or indifferent or had question marks about it were able to be heard."
While they had previously had positive discussions with a number of production companies, Slade says now that consent has been granted they have been inundated with calls requesting further information. However, there are no guarantees.
"Now that we have the consent, our phone has been ringing pretty hot from people all over the place. So we feel very positive about it and it's just a case, really, of making sure that it'll come together and we can stack everything up nice and neatly."
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst welcomed the news.
"We have worked with the studio for a couple of years to identify a suitable site, and it’s exciting that there is the possibility of a new industry coming to our region.
"In relation to this specific location, there has been a very thorough consenting process, and I have heard from some of the submitters that the process has allowed them to have their say.
"The independent commissioner has heard the residents’ concerns and granted approval for this consent application, with conditions that address the issues raised by submitters."
