ITV Studios, the production company behind the television drama Emmerdale, has submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council seeking permanent permission to use its farm site in Harewood, Leeds. The site, which has served as the show's village set since 1997, is currently permitted for use until next year.
If approved, the consent would allow Emmerdale to continue filming at the location indefinitely, making the existing set a permanent fixture. The current planning permission expires on June 3, 2027, with a stipulation that the site must be restored to its original condition within six months of its cessation of use.
The Emmerdale Village Production Set features a variety of exterior views crucial for the drama, which is reportedly used for over 260 episodes annually. A planning report highlighted the set's adaptability to the ever-changing needs of production, accommodating planned storyline changes as well as immediate adjustments due to factors such as weather conditions, cast availability, or other scheduling challenges.
ITV has stated that the continued use of the set is essential for depicting rural life and the Yorkshire countryside, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Both interior and exterior scenes for the soap are filmed at the Harewood site. Additional indoor sets, including the Woolpack pub, are filmed at a studio space on Kirkstall Road.
The set is designed to replicate a typical rural village, complete with a village hall, café, church, and residential dwellings. The planning application is currently out for public consultation, with feedback being accepted until August 13.