Landscaping specialist casts its spell over Harry Potter studio

A MIDLANDS construction and landscaping specialist is to play a leading role in the expansion of Warners Bros studios – home to blockbusters including Harry Potter and some of the Star Wars films.

Shropshire-based Crown Group has secured a major landscaping project at the sprawling 150-acre Hertfordshire site as part of the latest instalment of the multi-million pound studios’ expansion.

Warners Bros is constructing additional sound stages, workshops, a multi-storey car park and a state of the art graphics and design space at Leavesden.

A Landscape Planting Strategy, which includes substantial new planting along the western edge of the backlot and in and around the Studio Tour car park extension, will be delivered by Crown Group.

Managing director Gareth Emberton said the contract – due to complete this spring – was the latest in a string of business wins for the sub-contractor, which has doubled in size in the last year.

He said: “We have delivered commercial landscaping schemes successfully across the UK for some time.

“However, our long-term strategy was always to expand our core business, developing more of an integrated approach to the design, building and maintenance of construction and landscaping projects.

“We’re seeing the result of this in the last year with a number of high-profile contracts, including this one at the home of cinema’s greatest movies, including Casablanca and of course, the Harry Potter films.”

The contract at Warner Bros supports the studios’ master plan for the next ten years, which will see the site attract more than five million visitors a year.

Crown Group is also seeing significant growth in its facilities management and environmental management divisions.

Mr Emberton said he was convinced this was because top construction contractors, whether working on key infrastructure projects such as HS2 or private sector, wanted contractors who could solve problems.
 
He said: “Our focus is always on how we can innovate the process, to help the construction giants we work with, such as Bowmer & Kirkland and Galliford Try, save time and money.”

“One of the key factors in our growth has been our ability to not just provide the materials and the manpower, but to work in partnership with leading contractors to plan properly.

“The aim is always to deliver a high quality project, with a supply chain which spans Europe, nurturing the completed project through its establishment and ongoing maintenance through to maturity.”