[Earlie37]

Just caught up with it. Whilst the set is slightly smaller than the old one (offset somewhat by the cameras being positioned so much further back at certain angles) the technical improvement is vast. The fact the entire backdrop can change means this is potentially a very versatile set. Looks great!

The new set takes up approx 2/3 of the width of the old one - lots of space at the sides now which you won't see on screen. It will also fit easily at Bristol and you could probably fit almost two of them in Newcastle if you went right to the walls. Plymouth's studio is also quite generous so the set will have breathing space too in terms of width, but not so much in depth.

Most of the differences in how the set looks and works will be mostly down to two other factors - the height of the lightning rig (e.g. South East has the width but significantly lacks height) or the depth of the studio (e.g. some regions have the cameras almost against the back of the rear studio wall meaning less maneuverability). You may notice that BBC South are using more moving camera shots rather than simple zooms - they've got a lot of space to fling the cameras around so can be a bit more creative as they become more confident with the new set. They are one of only a small number of regions which will have the ideal setup -  good ceiling height, generous width and generous depth. Bristol and Newcastle will also have this combination. 

More LED = a lot more cost and changes to the standardised templates.  That's why you will see all regions with very similar set dimensions, give or take a couple of metres or so. Remember that this project is not only to refresh sets which have outlived their lifespan but also to bring savings and efficiencies across the regions in terms of standardisation and ultimately reduction in staff once the gallery changes have been made. As has been mentioned, despite the initial cost, it will also mean that future set changes should be easily to implement with graphic changes and updates to furniture when necessary.