McLaren Construction to deliver Fairbanks Studios expansion at former BBC site
BNPP AM Alts moves forward with major redevelopment of historic Elstree production campus.
28 May 2026
McLaren Construction has been appointed by BNP Paribas Asset Management as main contractor for the redevelopment of the former BBC Elstree Centre, now rebranded as Fairbanks Studios.
The project will transform part of the historic 16-acre Elstree site into a new 266,000 sq ft production campus for the high-end television and independent film sectors, with completion targeted for late 2027.
Planning consent for the redevelopment was secured in December 2025, with enabling and demolition works now completed ahead of the main construction phase.
The scheme will significantly expand the site’s production capacity, increasing stage space to around 100,000 sq ft across five sound stages ranging from 16,000 sq ft to 21,000 sq ft.
Alongside the studio space, the development will include new workshops, offices, a café and a 58,000 sq ft Media Hub providing office and amenity accommodation aimed at media-related occupiers and businesses connected to the studios.
Part of the wider site remains occupied by the BBC under a long-term lease, including facilities used for filming EastEnders.
Originally opened as a film studio in 1914, the campus was owned during the 1950s by Hollywood actor and producer Douglas Fairbanks Jr, with the new Fairbanks Studios branding reflecting that heritage.
The redevelopment is targeting BREEAM Outstanding certification alongside an Outstanding rating under the Albert Studio Sustainability Standard, which assesses environmental performance within film studio developments.
Plans also include new landscaping and urban greening measures, including approximately 130 new trees across the site.
According to the project team, the development is expected to support around 390 construction jobs and more than 1,200 full-time equivalent roles once operational.
Paul Serkis, director of studio projects at McLaren Construction, said demand for high-quality production space in the UK remained strong.
He said: “Film and high-end TV production is one of the success stories of the UK economy and there is a real and pressing demand for high quality production space here.”
McLaren’s supply chain team for the project includes Harringtons Builders on groundworks, Aarsleff on piling, SCWS on steelwork, Halsall on MEP services and Northern Cladding on façade works.
