World's largest film studio planned

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The largest film production studio in the world is due to be built in a former car assembly plant in the Canadian province of Quebec.

The former Hyundai assembly plant, located a 45-minute drive north of Montreal, covers 1.2 million square feet, trade publication Screen International reports.

Sound stages totalling 250,000 sq ft, two water tanks, each holding 60,000 cubic feet of water, and 100,000 square feet of office space are planned for the site.

The site also features a landing strip, a double-lane car testing track and a cafeteria able to serve 1,500 meals a day.

It was sold to the film studio Studio Bromont in December 2001 for 21 million Canadian dollars (£9.3m) - but the studio predicts refitting costs will be more than that again.

We literally lose several major productions each year because of a lack of adequate facilities

Jocelyn Parenteau

Announcing the building plan, Bromont co-founder Jocelyn Parenteau said the new facility would help draw foreign filmmakers to Quebec.

"The major US and European productions each employ between 500 and 700 people, depending on the size of the project," he said.

He pointed out that the new studio would be able to host three productions at the same time.

"We literally lose several major productions each year because of a lack of adequate facilities," he added.

News of the Montreal plan comes a fortnight after the announcement of a separate plan to build a huge film studio in Toronto.

The Toronto facility has the administrative support of the UK's Pinewood Shepperton Studios, and is scheduled to open in March 2003.