By Megan Stanley

An iconic West London film studio has been allowed to build new stages that will mean it can compete with Hollywood. Ealing Studios is one of the oldest filming studios in the world and has made movies such as Bridget Jones, St. Trinians' and The Theory of Everything.

The studio, which has been making films since 1902 and hosted stars like Aubrey Hepburn, is now small and outdated compared to other studios producing content for Netflix and Amazon Prime. New plans, which were approved by councillors on Wednesday (November 28), will transform the space into "the most advanced studio in the world".

Old blocks, which are set for demolition, will be replaced by a 14,000-square-foot stage, new workshops and additional office space. The developers claim this new scheme will take just 18 months to build, with priorities to protect the environment at the heart of the development.

The new glossy building has been designed to honour the distinctive Art Deco aesthetic of the original 1930's Grade II listed sound stages that still exist at the studio. Councillor Rice said: "I love the look of the proposed development, that kind of style really means something to people still. It does pay a lot of tribute to the work that has gone on over the decades at Ealing Studios. I hope it gets the opportunity to thrive even further with the new development."

Councillor Jon Ball added: "Often on the planning committee, we criticise the bland designs we get, whereas this is really really top quality and really appropriate for the studios. My only concern is that the office space could end up being used for other purposes."

These plans come as Ealing Studios attempt to keep the historic space competing with modern studios that are bagging deals with big networks like Netflix. Councillor Anthony Kelly said: "There is an inherent challenge about keeping specific film stuff in film studios, but one of the ways of overcoming that is to actually have the right type of stage and studio space.

"Ten miles away there's the second biggest film stage in Europe, the 007 stage in Pinewood is massive – it's the size of three football fields – that's not what they do at Ealing. We mustn't second guess the industry, they are the type of studios they want, they are the type of studios they've applied for so we've got to take them at what they want.

After councillors approved the plans, Barnaby Thompson, partner at Ealing Studios, said: "Since the invention of film, Ealing Studios has been at the forefront of every new media revolution – and this is the next stage in our evolution, responding to a need for greater studio space as well as recognising the need to become a more sustainable industry. 

"We are thrilled to be celebrating our 120th birthday by building what we believe is the first Net Zero Carbon stage in the UK. We want the Studio to be a home for talent for generations to come."

Ealing Studios first opened in 1902 and are the oldest surviving film studios in the country. Although parts of the site have been replaced with modern technology, some of the sound stages date back to 1929. The White House, which is the iconic entrance of the studios, plus the older sound stage buildings, will not be included in the makeover and will retain their historical importance.

In the 1950s, the BBC bought the studio site and it become the home of many iconic TV hits including Porridge, Monty Python, and Doctor Who. Despite the BBC selling the studio in 2000, the site remains the home of the best of British entertainment – including films like The Theory of Everything, The Darkest Hour and Bridget Jones.