An international consortium behind a planned new €300m media campus in Greystones Co Wicklow has said it is renewing its focus on the project, following the ending of a strike by Hollywood writers and actors which disrupted the sector and its plans for the site.
If follows growing local concern at the lack of progress with the project, after a limited amount of preparatory work carried out at the location for the campus near Killincarrig in the wake of the announcement two years ago.
In April of 2022, US property group Hackman Capital Partners, its studio operator affiliate MBS Group and investment firm Square Mile Capital said they would open the facility, which was set to be the largest in Ireland, in 2024.
It was to be developed as a joint venture with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund and Capwell, an investment vehicle owned by the Sisk family.
The investors said 450 people would be employed during construction and they pledged that when completed the 670,000 square feet of studio space across 44 acres would contribute to the creation of 1,500 jobs and a doubling of film and TV production space here.
However, locals in the area have noted the extremely limited amount of work that has been carried out on the site since the original 2022 announcement of the plans.
Now, in response to questions from RTÉ News, Greystones Media Campus has explained that the pause was the consequence of "unprecedented disruption" caused by the Hollywood writers and actors strikes, which resulted in the creative industries coming to a standstill.
"It resulted in a 12-month delay affecting medium and long-term planning for productions across the world," the statement said.
"Since the recent cessation of the strike, the industry is in catch up mode as it seeks to move to normality, and we are monitoring the situation globally."
The backers added that the recent increase in Section 481 tax incentives for the industry is very welcome news, "and a positive indicator for the industry in Ireland as well as our future plans."
"We are delighted to renew our focus on the exciting Greystones Media Campus project as we return to routine production levels in the content industry," the statement concluded.
The partners behind the project bought Ardmore and Troy production studios in 2021 for a reported figure of around $100m.
