Warner Bros set to buy Leavesden Studios, the Pinewood rival that Bond created

Warner Bros are set to invest $100m in Leavesden Studios in Herfordshire, UK, making it the only Hollywood studio to have a permanent home in Europe. The revitalized studio will become a major rival to Pinewood Studios and likely boost the British film industry.

Warner Bros has announced plans today to buy and transform Leavesden Studios, just north of Watford. Members of the public would be welcome on site to see film sets in guided tours similar to those at studios in America. It would also secure the site's future once the final instalment in the Harry Potter franchise finishes filming this year, and safeguard hundreds of jobs.

Leavesden Studios was created out of necessity when EON Productions couldn't find booking space at Pinewood Studios to shoot the 007's return in 1995's "GoldenEye". The former Rolls Royce factory was gutted by the production and turned it into a studio. This process is shown on the 2006 DVD special features.

Since James Bond moved out after "GoldenEye", "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace", "The Dark Knight" and every Harry Potter movie has been made at Leavesden.

Warner Bros has applied for planning permission to refurbish the studios, which it currently leases. If successful, the company plans to buy the site. A spokesman said: “As well as preserving film sets, this will also celebrate the exceptional creativity and craftsmanship of the creators of these films and the UK film industry as a whole.”

Warner Bros' proposal includes refurbishing and extending the production facilities, improving provision of visual effects, prosthetics, animatronics and film editing, as well as expanding the external filming and production areas. The spokesman added: “We hold Leavesden Studios in the highest esteem as the home of our much-loved Harry Potter films. This proposal is central to our long-term plans to invest in the local production community, to create local and industry employment opportunities, and to continue the legacy of exceptional British filmmaking at Leavesden and across the UK.”

Other than Pinewood, Leavesden Studios is one of only a few places in the UK where large scale productions can be made. The studios contain approximately 500,000 sq ft (50,000 m2) of flexible space which includes stage space, production office space and support buildings, along with an extensive 80 acre backlot which offers a 180 degree uninterrupted horizon which can be used for exterior sets.

Local residents recently successfully campaigned against expansion plans for Pinewood.

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