Pinewood Studios: Business Case and Economic Impact Assessment

Pinewood Studios LtdPinewood Studios: Business Case and Economic Impact AssessmentJanuary 20134.5.2.2 Around 70,700 sq m (761,200 sq ft) of stage, workshops and productions offices floorspace willbe provided as part of the development proposals. Given this increase in floorspace andassuming that there will be the same level of efficiency of use as currently exists, the number ofproduction company employees on-site would increase from 850 to 1,596 FTE jobs 68 .4.5.2.3 New employment will also be created through the provision of additional offices for tenantcompanies on the existing (13,434 sq m (144,600 sq ft)) and new site (10,000 sq m (108,000 sqft)). In order to estimate the number of jobs this new employment floorspace will support, thequantum of floorspace has been adjusted to reflect the net internal area (85%) and anallowance has been made for average occupancy rates (90%). The expected net occupiedfloorspace has then been divided by an average employment density figure of 21 sq m per FTEemployee, in line with the responses to the tenant company survey. 69 Based on theseassumptions, the provision of additional office facilities will support the creation of 854 FTE jobs((13,434+10,000)*85%*90%/21). In total, 1,604 FTE jobs (854+750) will be accommodatedthrough the existing and new tenant offices.(ii)Gross indirect, induced and wider employment4.5.2.4 Overall, it is estimated that total direct on-site employment at Pinewood would equate to 3,331FTE jobs (132+1,596+1,604) following the implementation of the PSDF. Therefore, in terms ofindirect and induced employment, assuming a composite multiplier of 2.0 at the UK level as wasapplied in estimating Pinewood’s current economic importance, Pinewood would support afurther 3,331 FTE jobs (3,331*(2.0-1)) within the wider UK economy through supply chainexpenditure and the spending of wages of those directly or indirectly employed.4.5.2.5 As under the baseline assessment, composite multipliers of 1.2 at the LEP level, 1.1 at theBeaconsfield constituency level and 1.08 at the South Bucks level have been applied based onresearch undertaken on behalf of the HCA 70 and BIS 71 and the responses to the tenant andproduction company surveys. This equates to an indirect and induced impact of 666 FTE jobs(3,331*(1.2-1)) at the LEP level, 333 FTE jobs (3,331*(1.1-1)) at the Beaconsfield constituencylevel and 267 FTE jobs (3,331*(1.08-1)) at the South Bucks level.4.5.2.6 Estimates of the wider employment impacts that might be generated as a result of increasedactivity at Pinewood, for example in terms of merchandising opportunities and promotion, havebeen based on the research undertaken by Oxford Economics into the economic impact of theUK film industry (see Section 4.3). On the basis of this research, a total of some 1,472 FTE jobs 72could be created within the UK economy as a result of wider catalytic economic impacts.6869707172There are currently an estimated 850 FTE production company employees on-site and 80,607 sq m of stage, workshops and productionoffices. The development of 70,715 sq m of additional floorspace would increase the total amount of floorspace to 151,322 sq m. Thisequates to an increase of 87.7%. If it is assumed that there will be the same level of efficiency of use and this uplift is therefore applied toemployment, the number of FTE jobs will rise to 1,596 (850*(1+0.877)), subject to rounding.The use of an employment density of 21 sq m is considered to be a cautious assumption, given that the HCA employment densitires guidesuggestes an average density for office use of 12 sq m per FTE employee.HCA (2008), Additionality Guide: A standard approach to assessing the additional impact of interventions.BIS (2009), Research to improve the assessment of additionality.Under the PSDF proposals there will be a total of 3,331 direct jobs. Of these, it is estimated that 1,712 already exist on-site and the OxfordEconomics ratio of wider jobs to direct jobs of 0.67 (29,600/43,900) has been applied to these. One element of the wider employmenteffect is the impact of films produced in the UK on tourism, through showcasing key locations and attractions. However, it is not certainthat the new productions secured at Pinewood as a result of the PSDF will necessarily promote the UK as a tourism destination. As such, in56