The BBC Elstree Centre is a television production facility in Borehamwood, where CMB carried out the £6.8 Million Mechanical and Electrical contract.

Commencing work on site in May 2024, CMB handed over the project to a satisfied client only 12 months later, with tight deadlines surrounding filming ensuring all site teams kept to schedule.

The facility was initially built as a film studio in 1914 and was converted to a television studio in 1960, where it has since been the home to filming for the likes of EastEnders, Holby City, Children in Need, Comic Relief and more.

The original 16-acre campus comprised of seven stages, a workshop, offices and postproduction facilities. The BBC have now upgraded some of these facilities to provide additional office space, editing and dubbing suites, 54 new dressing rooms for the EastEnders actors, a new state-of-the-art makeup room, a costume store, relaxation areas, and a modern café facility for use by on-site staff and visitors.

The building is designed to have an industrial look from within by having many of the M&E services on show. Just some of the M&E services that we carried out and installed, include:

• A new centralised ventilation system

• New air conditioning VRV system

• Upgrading electrical incoming supplies and providing a coordinated installation that suits the needs of users

• Internal & External Plantroom

• Upgrade to the reception, main entrance and lobby areas

• Installation of sound proofed editing and dubbing suites

• Building new dressing rooms, first floor suites and executive staff offices

Phase 1 of the project involved CMB working under Principal Contractor, Mitie Projects alongside Heydon & Carr, whilst Phase 4 saw us working for J4 Projects alongside Heydon & Carr. The building is served by central air plant throughout with a VRV System in specific areas. In line with Phase 1’s design plan, this area also has been designed to keep M&E services on display upon completion. This assists with coordination in a building with such space restraints and also shows off the quality of work we have carried out throughout construction.

We delivered Phase 1 handover on January 31st 2025 with Phase 4 handover taking place on May 8th 2025, and are pleased to announce that following this, we were asked to undertake further compliance works on the site. CMB have built a good working relationship with J4 Projects, Heydon & Carr, Mitie and the BBC throughout the course of this project and we hope it continues to grow going forward.