• Town planning • Environment • Master planning • Landscape architecture

Awards 2012: East of England RTPI - Planning Achievement Award

Client: Warner Bros.

WARNER BROS. STUDIOS LEAVESDEN TM

HERTFORDSHIRE

Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden.TM & © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The practice assisted US film production company Warner Bros. to gain planning permission for the refurbishment and extension of Leavesden Studios, Hertfordshire, home to the Harry Potter series of films.

The site, set within the metropolitan green belt, was heavily constrained by a number of significant environmental and physical factors. These were addressed by presenting a carefully constructed case supporting this nationally significant project, and by working closely with Hertfordshire County, Three Rivers District and Watford Borough councils, local residents and statutory consultees. The effectiveness of this strategy was borne out by the timely issue of planning permission, without the intervention of the Secretary of State.

An important element of the project was the creation of two new publicly accessible stages, which are now home to many of the sets and props created at Leavesden in a new visitor attraction, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour London ‘The Making of Harry Potter’™.

Warner Bros. is the only major US film production company operating its own studio in the UK and the practice continues to advise the company on it’s future development and growth needs.