Warner Bros are reportedly planning to buy Leavesden Studios. The Watford-based facility has been home to Harry Potter for the past 10 years and has previously been the site of Warner-backed projects such as Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Sleepy Hollow, The Dark Knight and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

According to the Financial Times, Warner Bros has announced that it aims to buy and refurbish all movie production facilities at the site and submitted its proposals to the local Three Rivers District Council and Watford Borough Council as part of a “multi-million” dollar investment into the studio.

The move is geared towards extending facilities for “visual effects, prosthetics, animatronics and film editing as well as the expansion of the external filming and production areas”. Warner Bros’s investment in the UK has so far accounted for around 50% of the national inward investment into film production over the last decade.

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 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 that can be used for exterior sets.

A studio spokesperson said of the announcement:

“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 film making at Leavesden and across the UK.”