A planned movie studio in South Dublin will create up to 2,000 jobs and provide the largest stage in the EU, according to a planning report lodged with South Dublin County Council.
Plans for "Dublin Fields" include six sound stage buildings comprising 11 internal sound stages and ancillary offices at Grange Castle Business Park, in Kilmahuddrick, Clondalkin.
The plans also include four workshop buildings in addition to a television studio and a reception building, which will also include three television studios.
Dublin Fields, also called the Grange Castle Media Park, will be Ireland's first full-service media park if the project is completed.
Applicant Lens Media is seeking a 10-year planning permission for the proposed 56-acre site due to the scale of the project, which includes over 20 buildings covering more than 74,000 sq ft.
Dublin Fields will also include VIP and guest services, a two-story dining hall, and a 100-seat ancillary theater.
The television studio will feature 4,000, 6,000, and 10,000 sq ft studios each with the capacity to host live shows with audiences of up to 600 people
A planning report submitted by consultants Tom Phillips+ Associates states that Dublin Fields "will lure top productions from around the world".
"We believe this will be the largest stage in the European Union and a unifying step in making Ireland a new hub for the movie and TV industry," Tom Phillips+ Associates said in the planning report.
"The proposed development would provide an unparalleled opportunity to expand the capacity of film and TV production in Ireland in line with national interests in the sector. While there are several film studios in Ireland, none are of the proposed scale."
Tom Phillips+ Associates said the rise in popularity of streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime has led to a growth in demand for high-quality content, adding that Ireland is in a "unique position" to cater to that demand.
They said a number of factors, including incentives from the Irish Government and challenges that UK studios are facing due to Brexit, have made Ireland an attractive filmmaking destination.
The company added that a similar-sized studio exists in Shepperton, London, which has produced over 1,000 films, earning 126 BAFTAs and 81 Oscars.
Dublin Fields has been in the works for several years after South Dublin County Council agreed to sell 48 acres of Grange Castle Business Park to Lens Media in May 2020 for €26.4 million. The council sold a further eight acres to Lens Media in June 2021 for an additional €1.1 million.
Lens Media is backed by Irish producer Alan Moloney, who produced "The Siege of Jadotville" and "Brooklyn", and Oscar-nominated US producer Gary Levinsohn, who produced "Saving Private Ryan".
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