London’s thriving creative industries are not just boosting the UK economy—they’re reshaping the capital’s housing market too. New research pegs the media and entertainment sector’s potential value at £53 billion by 2033, while 2024 government figures already clock the creative industries, spanning film, TV, and video, at £125 billion annually.
The UK film sector alone contributes £1.36 billion and employs over 195,000 people, making up 5.2% of the nation’s GVA.
As these hubs flourish, demand for homes nearby is soaring, lifting local areas with better public spaces, roads, and transport links.
Take Enfield, where a 2021 partnership between the council and Troubadour Theatres birthed the Troubadour Meridian Water Studios, promising up to 450 permanent jobs via a training academy and arts hub.
Joseph Antoniazzi, director of sales and marketing at Barratt West London, sees the ripple effect clearly.
“In 2023-2024, 256,000 film, TV, radio and photography jobs were filled in the UK,” he told us. “The last year alone has seen a few major productions including Wicked filmed at Sky Studios Elstree in Borehamwood, just outside North London. North London is home to quite a few major filming sites including London North Studios and Troubadour Meridian Water studios, not to mention the former Mill Hill Barracks, positioning North London and its environs as a major filming hub. Pinewood Studios in Slough is another well-known hub, with excellent connection into central London and close to Hayes Village – the people’s very own chocolate factory.”
The pull of these creative hotspots is undeniable. Since its 2021 launch, London North Studios has revitalised interest in North London, building on the cinematic legacy of Mill Hill Barracks—famous for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy—and the former National Institute for Medical Research, now Barratt London’s Ridgeway Views, where Batman Begins was shot. Antoniazzi notes the housing boom that follows:
“As major productions increase, local housing markets are seeing a surge in young professionals and creatives seeking modern, accessible housing near their work hubs. Our developments in North London – Hendon Waterside, and Ridgeway Views where Batman Begins was filmed 20 years ago, offer both professionals and film fans a piece of the action.”
Ridgeway Views, nestled in 47 acres of Mill Hill’s conservation area, is set to deliver 527 energy-efficient homes, while Hendon Waterside, by the Welsh Harp Reservoir, offers a mix of studios, apartments, duplexes, and rare four-bedroom townhouses.
Further west, Hayes Village—replacing the old Nestlé factory—will bring 1,500 homes and nine acres of green space by 2028. As London’s creative pulse strengthens, its housing market is racing to keep up.