11:02am Thursday 18th March 2010
By Neil Skinner
The ambitious Leavesden Studios redevelopment plan will be scrutinised during a council debate this evening.
Warner Brothers, which currently leases the site, announced plans in January to buy it and begin a redevelopment programme.
The plans would see production and filming space dramatically expanded, with two new stages constructed alongside replacement offices and workshops.
The project, to cost an estimated £100million, cleared its first legal hurdle last week, when Watford Borough Council – tasked with scrutinising a small part of the giant application – approved plans for a smaller flight stage.
Three Rivers District Council, tasked with judging the majority of the application, will meet this evening to debate the proposals.
A council report reveals broad support for the project but raises a number of key concerns, focussing on noise, traffic, potential expansion, and a proposed visitor attraction, allowing (according to the report) nearly 2,000 visitors on site at any one time.
Many of these concerns have been raised by local residents, 128 of whom have signed a petition against the plans.
The plans will be discussed at a meeting of the council’s development control committee from 7.30pm. For details on what is said see our website tomorrow.
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