Borehamwood steps into the spotlight: commuter town on the cusp of £3bn investment as Sky unveils plans for new TV and film studios

The vast 32-acre film and TV studio complex is slated to open in 2022, close to the BBC and Elstree Studios already in the area.
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Ruth Bloomfield10 March 2020

About as far from Hollywood as you can possibly imagine, this pleasant and nondescript commuter dormitory is nevertheless on the cusp of billions of pounds-worth of investment in a state-of-the-art studio.

In the past Borehamwood's appeal has tended to be more about its accessibility than anything else.

Trains to Blackfriars or London Bridge take just under 40 minutes, with an annual season ticket costing from £2,640.

It is also handy for the M1, surrounded by green belt farmland and endless golf clubs, and it's a nine-minute train hop to St Albans for shopping and socialising.

There is a wide choice of primary schools with "good" Ofsted reports.

Sky is planning to build a new film and TV studio in Borehamwood, bringing £3 billion investment to the area by 2022 
Alamy Stock Photo

Why Borehamwood is tipped as one to watch in 2020

Sky has unveiled plans for a 32-acre film and TV studio — close to the BBC and Elstree Studios already in the area — slated to open in 2022.

It promises a £3 billion investment and 2,000 new jobs which Hertsmere borough council describes as a "fantastic opportunity" for the area.

Pros: affordability and an easy commute. There are some lovely pubs to explore in surrounding villages.

Cons: dreary and boring high street. One of Borehamwood's two senior schools "requires improvement" according to Ofsted, so parents of older children will need a Plan B. And there's a lack of character property.

Average house prices in Borehamwood ​— and what there is to buy

Average prices in WD6 stand at £445,000, up from £343,000 five years ago according to Rightmove.

You would pay £1 million-plus for one of the big trophy executive homes on and around Barnet Lane.

There are also new homes, including Bellway Homes' Hertsmere Road where you could buy a four-bedroom terrace house for £630,000.

A three-bedroom Thirties to Fifties semi would cost just over £500,000.

At Taylor Wimpey's Poets Rise a new two-bedroom flat is priced at £385,000.

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