South Dublin County Council has granted a 10-year planning permission to Lens Media Ltd for the development, which will include 20 buildings spanning over 74,000 square meters of gross floor space. Among the facilities will be six soundstage complexes housing 11 soundstages and accompanying office spaces at Grange Castle Business Park.

Planning consultants Tom Phillips + Associates have described the project as a “world-class studio” poised to compete with industry leaders like Pinewood Studios in London and Trilith Studios in the U.S.

The development aims to attract major international productions and significantly enhance Ireland’s capacity for film and TV production. A planning report emphasized that Dublin Fields will address growing demand for high-quality content, driven by platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime while establishing Ireland as a global hub for the industry.

As part of the planning approval, the council imposed 25 conditions, including a requirement for Lens Media to pay €8.85 million toward public infrastructure in the area. This contribution highlights the project’s importance for both local and national economic development. A spokeswoman for Lens Media described the facility as unique in terms of scale, specification, and location, noting that it will more than double Ireland’s current soundstage capacity, meet growing production needs, and act as a catalyst for the country’s screen industry.

The project has faced its share of challenges. Lens Media initially purchased 48 acres of land from the council in 2020 for €26.4 million, later acquiring an additional eight acres for €1.1 million. However, legal disputes over the land purchase delayed progress, with a High Court injunction issued in 2022. The matter was resolved in 2023, alongside a new shareholder agreement, allowing the ambitious development to move forward.

The studio will include television studios of 4,000, 6,000, and 10,000 square feet, capable of hosting live audiences of up to 600 people.

Planners noted that the project mirrors the scale of Shepperton Studios in London, which has facilitated over 1,000 productions and garnered numerous awards. Dublin Fields is expected to have a similar transformative impact, further elevating Ireland’s position in the entertainment industry.

Lens Media is led by high-profile partners, including Irish producer Alan Moloney, known for Brooklyn and Siege of Jadotville, and Oscar-nominated American producer Gary Levinsohn of Saving Private Ryan.

Other contributors include Dr. David Cooper, filmmaker Matt Cooper, and Irish-born, LA-based producer Christopher Carlin. Moloney also founded Big Things Films with Cillian Murphy in 2022 and has recently produced Small Things Like These and Netflix’s Steve, starring Murphy.

No objections were raised during the planning process, signalling broad support for the project. In their application, Tom Phillips + Associates described Dublin Fields as the largest soundstage in the European Union, a transformative development for Ireland’s screen industry, and a major step toward making the country a leading destination for global film and television production.