WHITEHILL and Bordon is opening its doors to would-be film-makers to make good use of former military land in the town.

When the Army departed from Prince Philip Barracks at the end of 2015 many people wondered how best to use the vast amount of infrastructure left behind.

One of the more innovative projects set up this autumn is Woolmer Forest Studios, a company founded by creative-property consultancy SPACE-2, based at Prince Philip Barracks.

Working with the Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company and local businesses and organisations, Woolmer Forest Studios provides “creative spaces and environments for all types of activities from TV and film production to events and one-off projects”.

Many of the buildings and facilities left empty at Prince Philip Barracks are likely to be demolished in the coming decades to make way for houses and infrastructure as part of Whitehill and Bordon’s regeneration.

This creates a unique opportunity for Woolmer Forest Studios to market the space.

SPACE-2’s managing director Mark Hughes-Webb told the Bordon Herald that soon there will be a variety of work-experience opportunities for local people interested in this field.

“Whitehill and Bordon’s close proximity to London means it is ideally placed for UK-based and international film crews to come here and shoot productions,” he said.

“We have a track record in accommodating productions, ranging from feature films and TV dramas to photoshoots and commercials at former Ministry of Defence sites across the UK; and we are currently in talks with some TV and film producers about shooting scenes at the studios and other locations in the local area. We will share more information when we can.

“The studios will also become a creator of jobs for the local community and next year we are providing exciting work-experience opportunities for local people through hosted projects on site. Anyone interested in finding out more should contact Steven Bigglestone at SPACE-2 at www.wool

merforeststudios.com.”

James Child, project lead at the Regeneration Company, has said he wants to make the best use of space at Prince Philip Barracks.

“There is nothing else like this in the region and we are delighted to be able to offer such an innovative concept at Whitehill and Bordon,” he added.

“As the regeneration project evolves, so too will the space available on site at Prince Philip Barracks for people and companies to use. We want to develop this concept of short-term spaces for creative uses, and grow the region’s reputation in this fast-moving and rapidly growing sector.”

This is not the first time former military land in the town has been sought by film-makers. In 2014 Nick Kennedy, founder of Britannia Digital Film Studios, was in talks with East Hampshire District Council and the Homes and Communities Agency after expressing an interest in establishing a film studio complex at Louisburg Barracks. But he was unable to provide proof of investment for his project and formal negotiations were halted.

The difference with Woolmer Forest Studios is the bulk of facilities on offer for film-makers are already in place - the company is simply opening the door.

The studio’s website explains the opportunities on the 400-acre estate, where media-production and creative companies can make use of a “wide range of spaces from workshops and offices to exterior and interior set-builds”.

The facility provides a “self-contained creative hub” with the added attraction of “extensive natural woodlands and a wide range of locations for filming and photographic shoots”.

There is also a dedicated team providing “space management, production services and security” on site, with businesses in the area providing a wide range of ancillary and support services.