LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - British film production companyPinewood Shepperton won an appeal on Friday to doublethe size of its main studio with a controversial 200 millionpound ($341.09 million) expansion plan.
The British government has supported the 15-year project toexpand the company's studio in southern England, where thelatest Star Wars film is currently being filmed, after it wasblocked twice by local authorities.
Following the government's green light, Ivan Dunleavy, chiefexecutive of Pinewood which is Europe's largest film studio,said construction would begin as soon as possible.
"Our project builds on the success of the government'spolicy for the creative industries and addresses the shortage ofstage space in the UK," he said.
The expansion will include 100,000 square metres of newfacilities, including studios, stages and workshops.
Earlier plans, which involved building on protected greenbelt land surrounding London, were rejected by the local councillast year and in 2010 after a "Stop Project Pinewood" campaignby local residents.
The studios, home to more than 1,500 movies over 76 years,were used to film 23 of 25 James Bond films including the latesthit "Skyfall", as well as Oscar-nominated "Les Miserables".($1 = 0.5864 British Pounds) (Reporting by Jack Stubbs, editing by David Evans)