The Crown looks to the future with new film set to last next 10 years

With its intimate portrayal of the personal lives of the Royal family set against the backdrop of world events The Crown has won widespread critical and popular acclaim.

So eagerly anticipated is each series of the Netflix drama that even changes to the actors lined up to play the Queen, Prince Philip and other principal characters down the years make headlines.

Now a planning application submitted by its producers to build a new set on which to film the series suggests The Crown could continue to enthral audiences for the next decade.

Left Bank Pictures has been granted temporary permission for a period of up to 10 years to build a new set featuring the key locations in the storyline, including Buckingham Palace, Downing Street, the Foreign Office, Clarence House and Kensington Palace.

But there is a corner of the Home Counties where The Crown’s continued success will be far from welcome.

Residents living near Hertfordshire’s Elstree Studios - were the new set will be built - say it will rob them of open green space and place further pressure on local infrastructure and roads.

Some also fear that the ground on which the new set will be built will eventually be used for other productions and become a permanent feature.

Left Bank applied to build the set on a three acre site on the edge of Elstree, close to the George Lucas Studios and the Big Brother House set.

Documents submitted to Hertsmere Borough Council state: “This space will be used to create a number of replica period locations including central London street scenes, private residencies, palaces and Government properties, private mews and bomb damaged streets.”

The plot is close to a number of residential homes, as well as a park and woodland.

That prompted one resident to write to the council objecting to the proposals and stating that the set would “take away what seems to be the little left of our green and what little manoeuvrability we have left in the wood.”

The unnamed resident added: “The infrastructure can’t take it; roads blocked, greenery taken away. Temporary permission of 10 years for buildings? Get out of here! That will remain indefinitely.”

The first two series of The Crown have gone from the marriage of Princess Elizabeth to Prince Philip in 1947 to the Profumo scandal in 1963, with Olivia Colman lined up to replace Claire Foy as the Queen in the third series.

Hertsmere council said the planes were “acceptable in terms of design and impact on nearby residential amenities”.

A spokesman for Hertsmere council added:  "We would like to point out that 243 notifications were sent out in total, with the one objection."