Councillors reject Bridgerton film set in Windsor park

Producers for hit Netflix show Bridgerton want to film in Windsor

Councillors have refused permission to build a film set in Windsor for hit Netflix series Bridgerton.

Producers for the period drama had wanted to build a set on Crown Estate land in Sunninghill Park to use over a five-year period.

Bridgerton is Netflix's highest-streamed show.

Despite royal approval, The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead council rejected it as "inappropriate development of the green belt".

The set would have been built on land in Sunninghill Park owned by the Crown Estate

The set would have seen scaffolding with frontages used to create a London Regency square and would have been used for filming over five summers.

A car park and other temporary structures for wardrobe and dining would also have been set up, the meeting was informed on Wednesday.

The council's planning officers recommended refusal for the set, near ancient woodland, saying it would cause "harm to the rural character of the area".

They also mentioned there was "insufficient information" to ensure protected species would not be adversely affected.

'Approval from Her Majesty'

Speaking at the public meeting at the Maidenhead Holiday Inn, Patrick Griffin of CPRE Berkshire said the set would be "demonstrably out of character with the area" and be an "encroachment into the countryside".

Councillor Sayonara Luxton explained the application supported by the Crown Estate would not be in front of councillors without "approval from Her Majesty" and that the borough's local shops and hotels would also benefit.

Councillor Andrew Johnson, leader of the council, echoed her sentiments: "The clear economic benefits of this application more than outweigh any short term potential harm to the greenbelt."

However councillors voted by 7-2. to support officers' recommendation for refusal.