Images of the Royal Opera House production park in Thurrock were unveiled today.
Construction has now started on the £60m production park – the first project in the regeneration of the Thames Gateway – and will be complete by 2010.
The 14 acre development at High House in Purfleet will provide production and training facilities for the performing arts and live music industry. It will create 250 jobs and will have a training capacity for 2,250 people.
The development includes:
- § Set and scenery construction workshops for Royal Opera House productions
- § A fit up area for sets and materials mimicking the main Covent Garden stage
- § A flagship building for the National Skills Academy
- § Training and qualification in offstage and backstage technical skills including the new creative apprenticeship
- § Work spaces for small and medium independent cultural businesses
- § Community, education, meeting and exhibition space in the restored grade II listed High House farm buildings
The production park will be developed and funded jointly by Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, the Royal Opera House, National Skills Academy for Creative & Cultural Skills, East of England Development Agency, East England Arts and Thurrock Council.
