For sustainability
HOP Bedfordshire is a uniquely sustainable development that fully embraces its low carbon and local community commitments whilst also blending in with the site’s natural features and ultimately providing a significant net gain for biodiversity for Central Bedfordshire. We have developed very comprehensive biodiversity offsetting proposals to help achieve a minimum 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), exceeding current Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) policy.
Our proposals will not just enhance and manage retained habitats on the existing site, but will also lead to significant gains for the County Wildlife Site’s (CWS) habitats and species in the local area, through the creation of approximately 70 hectares of replacement habitat nearby (almost three times the amount of space that HOP will occupy). This will be designed and managed specifically to optimise the benefits for the key bird species of the CWS, as well a wide range of other habitats and wildlife (including great crested newts, reptiles and bats). The project will also be contributing significantly to woodland creation within the Forest of Marston Vale.
Making a meaningful contribution to a carbon-free future for the studio sector is non-negotiable. Starting with the aim to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ status through construction, and together with our award-winning construction partner, we will push the highest standards of sustainability into everyday operation of the site. We are extremely fortunate to have been able to design a facility of this type in a natural haven, and want to show our environment the respect that it deserves through every component of our facility, and the services offered.
Setting the standards
Our masterplan is deeply aspirational, and the green commitments being made are no exception. The HOP team consider this a key selling point for the site - The targets were developed and set as we worked through concept design, and are anything but an afterthought.
We’re working hard to build and refine our proposition as construction approaches, setting clear and challenging targets for the entire life of the project. To find out more, please ask!
HOP Impact
Minimising impact, maximising promotion of the natural habitat
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HOP Bedfordshire offers
We start in a highly-positive manner by making the build as sustainable as possible with the help of our construction partner. From there, we integrate exacting performance standards across the site, and build our operations around them.
Movement of people, materials and equipment keeps productions going. From electric buggies through to logistics vans, we intend to ensure that every vehicle on site runs on the cleanest energy available.
Solar panels will provide clean energy across the site and charge individual battery rooms to store clean energy for studio operations. Air-source heat pumps will also maintain studio temperatures, with this technology helping to reduce our CO2 emissions.
We are hugely privileged to own and develop this fantastic site. We will not only enhance and manage the retained habitats on-site as a nature reserve, but will also be creating a staggering 70 hectares of replacement habitat nearby as compensation, that's three times the size of the area occupied by HOP.
For many productions, the setting up and taking down of supporting infrastructure is laborious and inefficient. By integrating services and facilities into the masterplan, we naturally drive out waste and are also able to better manage our carbon impact.
HOP will defy convention by setting the most ambitious, stretch targets on sustainability. Achieving Net Carbon Zero is the foundation for this, guiding our level-setting whilst also helping to shape the overall masterplan.