Blackstone and Hudson Pacific Properties Announce Plans for New World-Class Film and TV Studios in the UK
2.8.2021 10:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Blackstone (NYSE: BX) and Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE: HPP) plan to create a major new centre for film, TV and digital production in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210802005278/en/
Artist Impression No. 1 (Photo: Business Wire)
Funds managed by Blackstone Real Estate Partners and Hudson Pacific Properties acquired a 91-acre site, 17 miles north of central London, through a joint venture for £120 million. The acquisition, with an expected total investment of over £700 million, will be the partners’ first expansion of their Sunset Studios platform outside of the US.
The proposed development, which is subject to planning permission, would transform the site into one of the largest world-class film and television studio campuses. The project is expected to create over 4,500 permanent jobs for Broxbourne and the surrounding community and contribute more than £300 million annually into the local economy.
This transaction is a continuation of Blackstone’s existing joint venture with Hudson Pacific, a leading Los Angeles-based office and studio owner and operator. Together, Blackstone and Hudson Pacific own a media portfolio that totals 3.5 million square feet, including 35 active sound stages and on-site creative offices, as well as development rights. Sunset Studios has hosted some of the biggest small and big screen hits including When Harry Met Sally and La La Land as well as numerous Academy Award winning films.
James Seppala, Head of Blackstone Real Estate Europe, said: “We are excited to expand our partnership with Hudson Pacific into the UK, and intend to deliver a world-class studio facility that will help ensure that the UK continues to be a premier destination for content production globally. This is a continuation of our thematic investment focus and long-term conviction in media, entertainment and content creation.”
Victor Coleman, Chairman and CEO of Hudson Pacific, said: “We are thrilled to expand our Sunset Studios platform in the UK, a global hub for film and television production. With our expertise developing and operating state-of-the-art media campuses and Blackstone’s resources and existing market presence, we are confident this facility will be in high demand from leading content creators. We look forward to working with Broxbourne Council to ensure the project has a meaningful positive impact on the local community.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This investment is excellent news for the UK’s film and TV industry, pumping hundreds of millions of pounds into the local economy and creating thousands of jobs for the people of Hertfordshire. The creative industries are at the heart of our plans to build back better. This will be a hub for both UK and international productions, showcasing home-grown talent on the global stage.”
Oliver Dowden MP, Secretary of State at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, said: “This new studio is yet another vote of confidence in the UK’s booming film and TV industry. Through the British Film Commission, we’re supporting the development of stage spaces like this across the UK - boosting the local economy and backing our world-class creatives to make the next Bond blockbuster or bingeworthy box set.”
Cllr. Lewis Cocking, Leader of Broxbourne Borough Council, said: “This represents a fantastic opportunity for the people of our borough. Creative Industries are of strategic importance to us and the creation of over 4,500 permanent new jobs and the associated boost to the local economy is just what we need following the pandemic. We look forward to working with Blackstone and Hudson Pacific to help deliver significant positive change in Broxbourne.”
Artist impressions of the proposed development can be downloaded here and here.
About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $684 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.
About Hudson Pacific Properties
Hudson Pacific is a real estate investment trust with a portfolio of office and studio properties totaling nearly 20 million square feet, including land for development. Focused on premier West Coast epicenters of innovation, media and technology, its anchor tenants include Fortune 500 and leading growth companies such as Netflix, Google, Square, Uber, NFL Enterprises and more. Hudson Pacific is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol HPP and listed as a component of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. For more information visit HudsonPacificProperties.com.
Notes to editors: list of notable productions that have been filmed at Sunset Studios include:
- Project Runway
- Scandal
- X-Men (2000)
- When Harry Met Sally
- Karate Kid
- I Love you, Man
- Zoolander
- La La Land
- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
- True Blood
- Fresh Prince of Bel Air
- Golden Girls
- Hannah Montana
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (Academy Awards Best Picture winner)
- Lost Horizon
- Six Feet Under
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210802005278/en/
Contact information
Media
For Blackstone
Paul Stephenson
Hanbury
paul.stephenson@hanburystrategy.com
Tel: 07725 610 696
Niamh Fogarty
Hanbury
niamh.fogarty@hanburystrategy.com
Tel: 07946 813 843
For Hudson Pacific Properties
Glesni Thomas
FleishmanHillard
glesni.thomas@fleishman.com
Tel: 07528 383 508
Julia Hipkiss
FleishmanHillard
julia.hipkiss@fleishman.com
Tel: 07827896036
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Operio Group Named Distributor for Schaefer Technologies in the United Kingdom and European Union9.3.2026 23:00:00 EET | Press release
Operio Group has signed a distribution agreement with Schaefer Technologies, a manufacturer of semi-automatic encapsulation equipment. Operio Group, a holding company building a global group of brands serving the solid dose manufacturing industry, will be the official distributor of Schaefer Technologies’ products in the United Kingdom and the European Union. Schaefer Technologies develops semi-automatic capsule filling systems, including equipment that produces banded capsules for liquid and pellet formulations used by nutraceutical and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Leadership from both companies worked together to establish the agreement, including Kevin Schaefer, CEO of Schaefer Technologies Inc., and Alastair Sanderson, Chief Business Development Officer at Operio Group. “Schaefer Technologies is looking forward to our new relationship with Operio Group,” said Schaefer. “Their understanding of the pharmaceutical equipment market makes them a strong partner as we combine our experti
Kinaxis Goes All-In on Innovation at Upcoming Kinexions in Las Vegas9.3.2026 20:00:00 EET | Press release
Registration is officially open for Kinexions North America, the premier global supply chain orchestration conference hosted by Kinaxis® Inc. (TSX: KXS). Taking place June 1–3 in Las Vegas, Nevada, the event brings together supply chain leaders, innovators and practitioners from around the world to explore how organizations can leverage AI-driven strategies and technologies to connect data, people and decisions. After a year defined by market volatility, geopolitical risk and disruption, this year’s conference will focus on how intelligent supply chain orchestration enables organizations to move beyond reactive planning to building true enterprise adaptability. The program promises to be the most immersive and future-forward Kinexions yet, with renowned author, entrepreneur and innovation expert, Peter Hinssen confirmed as a featured keynote address. “Kinexions has always been the place where the best in supply chain come together to calibrate and share ideas, rethink what’s possible a
Radial Selects Riskified to Power Payment Fraud and Refund/Return Protection for Merchant Client Portfolio9.3.2026 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Riskified (NYSE: RSKD), a leader in ecommerce fraud and risk intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership with Radial, a leading 3PL set to become Paxon later this year. Radial will integrate with Riskified’s AI-powered platform to help its merchants approve more legitimate orders and reduce losses from payment fraud, including many merchants that use Shopify as their ecommerce platform. Radial supports many of the world’s most recognized retail brands with a global ecommerce fulfillment network of more than 20 centers across North America, helping merchants deliver orders quickly and cost effectively. By bringing Riskified’s AI-powered fraud decisioning into its commerce ecosystem, Radial gives merchants the surgical ability to calibrate the checkout experience according to risk—without slowing fulfillment. This also supports brands seeking to expand into new markets. Riskified empowers Radial's customers with accurate, real-time fraud decisions at checkout, approving or decl
Andersen to Announce Fourth-Quarter and Full-Year 2025 Financial Results9.3.2026 16:00:00 EET | Press release
Andersen Group Inc. (NYSE: ANDG) (“Andersen”), a leading provider of independent tax, valuation and financial advisory services to individuals and family offices, businesses and funds in the United States, will announce its financial results for the full year and fourth quarter 2025 after the market closes on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Andersen CEO and Chairman, Mark L. Vorsatz, and Andersen Chief Financial Officer, Neal Livingston, will host a conference call to discuss Andersen’s financial results on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 5PM ET. Participants can join the webcast at https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=J3Hvslre. The webcast replay link will be archived on Andersen’s Investor Relations website at investor.andersen.com within a few hours of the event and will remain on the website for six months. About Andersen Andersen is a leading provider of independent tax, valuation and financial advisory services to individuals, family offices, businesses and alternat
Safe Software Announces the Peak of Data and AI 2027, a Premier Global Conference, in London, UK9.3.2026 15:00:00 EET | Press release
Safe Software (Safe) officially announced today the return of its global user conference, the Peak of Data and AI, taking place March 9–11, 2027, at the QEII Centre in London, UK. A Partner Summit will kick off the event on March 8, 2027, bringing together Safe’s global partner community ahead of the main conference. Hosted every two years, the Peak of Data and AI has evolved from Safe Software’s long-running user conference into a premier global event for data and AI professionals. The conference alternates between North America and international locations, with previous events held in Bonn, Germany (2023) and Seattle, Washington (2025). “At the Peak of Data and AI, we bring together the people who are shaping how organizations use data to drive real-world outcomes,” said Don Murray, CEO of Safe Software. “With London as our host city in 2027, we’re excited to connect with the global community to learn, listen, and share what’s next for data and AI.” The three-day conference will feat
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom