Leavesden Aerodrome

Economic reasons and redevelopment. The aerodrome's primary industrial user and owner, Rolls-Royce, ceased manufacturing helicopter engines at the site and closed its factory in 1993 as part of a corporate consolidation. With the anchor tenant gone, the airfield was no longer economically viable and was sold for redevelopment, officially closing to all air traffic in 1994.

The site has been completely transformed and is now world-famous as Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. Shortly after its closure, the vast hangars and open space of the former airfield were identified as an ideal location for film production. Its first major production was the 1995 James Bond film 'GoldenEye'. It gained global recognition as the primary production home for all eight 'Harry Potter' films (2000-2010). In 2010, Warner Bros. purchased the site and invested over £100 million to create a permanent, state-of-the-art film and television production facility. Today, it is one of the largest studio production facilities in the UK and also hosts the immensely popular public attraction, 'Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter', which utilizes original sets, props, and costumes from the films.

Leavesden Aerodrome has a rich history dating back to World War II. It was established in 1940 as a 'shadow factory' by the Ministry of Aircraft Production to increase military aircraft manufacturing capacity away from established, more vulnerable sites. The site was managed by two key entities: the London Aircraft Production Group, which produced the Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber, and the de Havilland Aircraft Company, which built the legendary de Havilland Mosquito, one of the fastest and most versatile aircraft of the war. After the war, the site was acquired outright by de Havilland, which was later absorbed by Hawker Siddeley. In the 1960s, it was taken over by Rolls-Royce plc for the production of aero-engines, most notably helicopter engines like the Gem (for the Westland Lynx) and the Gnome (for the Westland Sea King). Throughout this period, the airfield and its runway also supported general and business aviation.

None. There are no plans or prospects for the site to reopen as an aerodrome. It has been permanently and extensively redeveloped into a world-class film studio and major tourist destination. The original runway and hangars have been fully integrated into the studio's infrastructure, making a return to aviation use impossible.