Amazon MGM Studios has submitted a planning application for the redevelopment and expansion of Bray Studios in Berkshire. Nicholas Pearson Associates prepared the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) and Verified View Montages (VVMs) that support the proposals for one of the UK’s best-known film and television production facilities.
Major Expansion Proposed for Historic Studio Site
The Bray Studios redevelopment proposals include six new sound stages, workshop buildings, production facilities, a multi-storey car park, landscape enhancements and associated infrastructure improvements.
Located on the banks of the River Thames, Bray Studios has a long association with film and television production. The proposals also include the restoration and continued use of the historic Down Place House as part of the wider studio campus.
Supporting Landscape and Visual Assessment
Amazon MGM Studios appointed Nicholas Pearson Associates to prepare the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment (LVIA) and a suite of Verified View Montages (VVMs) to accompany the planning application.
Our appointment built on previous involvement at Bray Studios, where we acted as landscape architects, LVIA consultants and visualisation specialists for the consented masterplan approved in 2022. As a result, we had a detailed understanding of the site’s landscape setting, planning history and key visual sensitivities.
We worked closely with RIOS, Scott Brownrigg, Nexus and Donald Insall Associates throughout the project. Together, we assessed potential effects on landscape character, visual amenity and the setting of heritage assets.
We also produced verified visual montages to support design development. In addition, the visualisations assisted pre-application discussions and the planning submission process.
Collaborative Planning Support
Consequently, the submitted LVIA and visualisation package formed an important part of the planning application. The material helped communicate the Bray Studios redevelopment proposals from a range of agreed viewpoints, including locations along the River Thames corridor.
The Bray Studios redevelopment application is now under consideration by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.
Further information on the Bray Studios redevelopment proposals is available via the dedicated project website: Bray Studios Redevelopment website.
The proposals have also received national media attention. Read the BBC News article here: BBC News coverage of the Bray Studios redevelopment.
