[James]

I don't see any advantage in dismantling the 'soft area' set, simply to leave it as empty space, when it can easily be used for other programmes or the fluffy stuff with guests if you've retained a desk in the revamped area.

Couldn't agree more. The sofa area isn't very 'BBC News' anyway, and never has been. It's often lit in blue/purple and this works well for the fluffier segments. I don't see any harm in them keeping this alongside a new desk based set, seeing as they've got the space.

I'd even go as far to say that a few slight tweaks to the existing studio, such as changes to the glass perspex behind the desk, and installing a couple of monoliths would be enough to refresh the studio, giving it a NBH Studio D look.

I'm usually all for consistency, but Spotlight already has an excellent setup. They often use VR graphics overlayed onto the sofa area, giving an effect similar to the catwalk screens in NBH Studio E & C. A new studio would in some ways actually be a downgrade for them, as would reduce the presentation areas that they have, due to the standardisation across the regions.