Revealed: massive scale of €70 million film studio project

300 jobs during construction, and work for up to 350 studio crew when building complete

The mammoth scale of the €70m international film studio being proposed for Mullingar has been made public.

The site of 7.11 hectares for the development is at Lough Sheever Corporate Park, and runs from close to the Lidl Distribution Centre to opposite the Davitt Furniture premises on the Castlepollard Road.

The firm behind the proposal, Hammerlake Studios, have now applied to Westmeath County Council for planning permission, and the details reveal just how significant the plan is and what it could mean for Mullingar, if the council planners give it the go-ahead.

The planning notice states that the proposal is for ‘an international film studio campus’. It is to include ‘an international base for headquarters administration and office space of 10,388 square metres’ in a building of four or five storeys.

That is large in itself, but it is only the start of it: the proposal also includes four film and TV studios in two blocks, one of 5,330 square metres and one of 5,068 square metres; and a workshop building for set and prop construction, which would be 5,142 square metres.

There will be parking for close to 300 vehicles – mainly cars, and with space for articulated lorries and motor homes as well.

Hammerlake Studios say their project could generate 300 jobs during construction, and once complete, the studios would employ up to 350 studio crew members.

They said they chose the Lough Sheever site due to the mix of accommodation, catering and business services in the area; and because it is close to Dublin Airport.

According to Hammerlake Studios, there was a spend of €500m in the film, TV drama, documentary, animation sector in 2021, and the sector supports 12,000 jobs.

When the existing studios – Ardmore, Troy and Ashford – are in use, studio projects that could have been carried out in Ireland go abroad, and the proposed campus in Mullingar would seek to satisfy some of that demand and keep the budget in the country.

Senator Aidan Davitt, MD of Sherry Fitzgerald Davitt and Davitt (SFDD), has had a professional interest in the project since its earliest stages, and is delighted that Hammerlake chose Mullingar for their studio.

SFDD were asked to locate a large site for a project that needed up to 20 acres, he said.

“There was very little information on it at the time, but we knew that it would be quite job-intensive and there would be a large budget involved. We presumed it was a factory or similar. So, we talked to some of the landowners here in Mullingar, and we eventually hit on the site at Lough Sheever.

“It’s an extensive build, and we believe that the figure, given the permission that’s being sought, is about €70m.”

“We were dealing with the Kellys, they’re long established here and well known builders and business people, and we all sat down together with the developers and we hammered out a deal.The mammoth scale of the €70m international film studio being proposed for Mullingar has been made public.

The site of 7.11 hectares for the development is at Lough Sheever Corporate Park, and runs from close to the Lidl Distribution Centre to opposite the Davitt Furniture premises on the Castlepollard Road.

The firm behind the proposal, Hammerlake Studios, have now applied to Westmeath County Council for planning permission, and the details reveal just how significant the plan is and what it could mean for Mullingar, if the council planners give it the go-ahead.

The planning notice states that the proposal is for ‘an international film studio campus’. It is to include ‘an international base for headquarters administration and office space of 10,388 square metres’ in a building of four or five storeys.

That is large in itself, but it is only the start of it: the proposal also includes four film and TV studios in two blocks, one of 5,330 square metres and one of 5,068 square metres; and a workshop building for set and prop construction, which would be 5,142 square metres.

There will be parking for close to 300 vehicles – mainly cars, and with space for articulated lorries and motor homes as well.

Hammerlake Studios say their project could generate 300 jobs during construction, and once complete, the studios would employ up to 350 studio crew members.

They said they chose the Lough Sheever site due to the mix of accommodation, catering and business services in the area; and because it is close to Dublin Airport.

According to Hammerlake Studios, there was a spend of €500m in the film, TV drama, documentary, animation sector in 2021, and the sector supports 12,000 jobs.

When the existing studios – Ardmore, Troy and Ashford – are in use, studio projects that could have been carried out in Ireland go abroad, and the proposed campus in Mullingar would seek to satisfy some of that demand and keep the budget in the country. Senator Aidan Davitt, MD of Sherry Fitzgerald Davitt and Davitt (SFDD), has had a professional interest in the project since its earliest stages, and is delighted that Hammerlake chose Mullingar for their studio.

SFDD were asked to locate a large site for a project that needed up to 20 acres, he said.

“There was very little information on it at the time, but we knew that it would be quite job-intensive and there would be a large budget involved. We presumed it was a factory or similar. So, we talked to some of the landowners here in Mullingar, and we eventually hit on the site at Lough Sheever.

“It’s an extensive build, and we believe that the figure, given the permission that’s being sought, is about €70m.”

“We were dealing with the Kellys, they’re long established here and well known builders and business people, and we all sat down together with the developers and we hammered out a deal.

“It was ideal for what they wanted – they were looking at Carlow, Cavan, Navan, a lot of sites that they thought might be suitable. We pushed Mullingar, we sold Mullingar, we sold Lough Sheever, the estate itself and the standard it is, and we managed to do a deal on it.

“A lot of work has taken place since, a lot of surveys, including ecological surveys, examining water courses and the flight patterns of birds, to see the site is suitable, and we’re happy it is.

“It is subject to planning permission. We’ve been dealing with Westmeath County Council, and we’re lucky to have our two ministers, Robert Troy and Peter Burke, fully behind it, and the mayor of Mullingar, Cllr Aoife Davitt, has been supportive. The paperwork is in order and it’s now down to the planners. We can’t pre-empt the planning process, so we’ll see what comes out of that in the months to come.” The date for a decision is July 12 next.

Minister Robert Troy said: “I am delighted that plans to bring the one of the largest film studios in Europe to the midlands have progressed to the next stage. Having supported and worked with the team throughout the initial phase of development, the ambition is there to bring this exciting project to fruition.

“The plans are hugely impressive and have the potential to make Westmeath and the midlands home to a world-leading film industry with significant benefits for the wider community. A key focus now is to maintain the positive momentum and I would hope following the long engagement with the local authority to develop this project that the plans, once considered, will be approved.”

Minister Peter Burke said: “I’m am delighted to hear Hammerlake Studios have formally submitted a planning application for their exciting new project at Lough Sheever Business Park. This is a project of huge scale and if delivered on will make Mullingar a world leader in the film industry and will have a far reaching spinoff for the town and region as a whole.

“I wish the team the best over the coming weeks and months ahead. Our town has seen significant new investment over the last few years which is hugely positive and I continue to work hard attracting more.”