COULD an empty warehouse in Chepstow be the start of what could become a flourishing TV career for the town?

That’s the hope of a London-based production company that wants to use the former Tesco cold store building on the Newhouse Farm Industrial Estate as the location for a series being made on behalf of the BBC.

Howard Overman Productions Ltd has asked Monmouthshire council if it can change the use of the 150,000 sq ft building with the hope that the company behind the mystery TV show could move into the warehouse by the end of the month.

Writer Howard Overman, who the owns company, has had recent success with the series Merlin and has written for the TV series New Tricks, Hustle and Hotel Babylon.

The company plans to begin filming by April ahead of the first transmission in September, but details of the programme are still under wraps.

The building was previously used as a warehouse and coldstore.

Its conversion into a television studio would be temporary, as it is unknown at this stage how long the show might run for.

The production company will create TV sets within the existing cold store buildings, utilise the offices, and use others as production suites.

It will not be filming outside.

The company will employ around 70 people when filming, generating a significant number of new jobs. This will double when two film units are needed.

The studio works a 12-hour day during filming between 7.30am and 9.30pm, five days a week, but it could overrun on occasions.

An application to temporarily change the use of the building has yet to be considered by Monmouthshire council.