Written by new-contact on Dec 22, 2011. Posted in On Location

Nimrod plane's former UK home Woodford Aerodrome may become film studio

The site of the former Woodford Aerodrome near Manchester in England could soon host a new film studio facility. BAE Systems formerly owned the site and it used to be home to Britain’s Nimrod planes.

Businessman Joe Bamford, heir to the JCB earth-moving company, was involved in buying the land from BAE Systems, and building a studio facility on the site is one development option.

Regional filming resource Vision+Media (now rolled into Creative England) has been pursuing the site as a potential new film studio for some time as a way of offering a production hub outside London. The organisation also identified the site as a potential filming location.

We have many exciting plans for the site which will hopefully create new jobs and provide the local community with much needed leisure facilities.

Avro Heritage Ltd

A spokesman for Avro Heritage Ltd, co-owned by Bamford, said: “We have many exciting plans for the site which will hopefully create new jobs and provide the local community with much needed leisure facilities.”

Right now these plans include a housing development and polo club, alongside the potential studio facility. The aerodrome’s hangars are immediately suitable for filming and might be used by a big-budget studio production sometime in 2012. Captain America filmed scenes in Manchester in 2010, so having a purpose-built studio in the area would offer an alternative to London.

(Image copyright: Oren Rozen)