Plans to develop a large site in east London as a dedicated film studio appear to be edging closer to reality with the site purchase by the local council announced this week.

Local news outlet the Barking and Dagenham Post reported that the council confirmed that it has now officially bought the nine-acre area to develop as the largest film facility of its kind in London.

Purchased for a reported £12m from Sainsbury”s, the planned development is within the Londoneast-uk Business and Technical Park and is backed by Film London, mayor of London Sadiq Khan and London Local Enterprise Panel.

Councillor Darren Rodwell said in comments to The Knowledge: “Building London”s largest film studios in Barking and Dagenham will boost the local economy by bringing in hundreds of jobs for local people and businesses directly and indirectly in the supplier chain.

“It will build on our borough”s burgeoning reputation as London”s latest cultural hot spot.”

The demand for studio space in the capital is high as international filmmakers and TV drama producers continue to make a huge impact on production revenue: in 2015, a hefty 83% of the overall UK spend came from inward investment projects.

London studio space is at a premium with major facilities just outside the capital such as Pinewood and Warner Bros. Leavesden undergoing expansion.