[Alf Stewart]

Is this what they're claiming as their "soap first", even though Hollyoaks have done that at least twice?

Chris Clenshaw has gone to great pains to say it's something EastEnders specifically has not done before, he openly admits it's been done before by other soaps

[Brekkie]

Yes, seems a soap journo wrote it up as a soap first when EE said nothing of the sort.

[eyeTV]

How far ahead did Hollyoaks flashforward? 10 months seems long and drawn out.

[UTVLifer]

How far ahead did Hollyoaks flashforward? 10 months seems long and drawn out.

A full year iirc

[London Lite]

Well at least we have an idea of what's happening this Christmas instead of them dragging out a storyline for 10 months as they usually do on EE before we get to the climax.

[James2001]

The whole episode in general had a quite different look to usual as well, or at least that's how it felt to me.

Also the thing with the flash forward is going to be awkward if something happens with one or more of the actresses who appear in it and they aren't able to appear in the Christmas episode. Unless they've already filmed enough to work around any potential absences.

[JasonB]

Lets hope someone remembers what Christmas Decorations they used to film this flash forward when December comes around!

[CATV]

Looks like the old set has almost gone. I think the original plans were to use the land for extra sets. However, with ratings falling and Holby also now gone.... I do wonder whether it will be sold for housing.

twitter.com 

It looks like planning permission for new sets on part of the old lot have been submitted.  Unfortunately the link is not working at the moment.  It looks like the remain parts of the original set in that photo will form part of the new sets.  The albert (green building) will be some form of Café.  In front of it will connect with the old park to make a new bigger park.  The allotments will also be made bigger staying at the side of the current park.  Looks like part of the old community centre will be come a hospital entrance.  Yes the hospital is here to stay continuing to make use of the old Holby interior sets.  Looks like there going to be a row of 4 shops and a new police station.  

Some low quality pictures captured from a planning document taken from another forum; 

[James2001]

It definitely looks a lot better with EastEnders making use of the old Holby sets for the hospital, before then we always only ever seemed to see the exact same stretch of corridor which had been painted to look like a hospital (which I seem to remember reading where someone pointed out had some old ATV studio lights still visible above a doorway).

[CATV]

If people are interested in the plans for the new sets, here is the link;

www6.hertsmere.gov.uk 

Simple Search
Search for a planning application.
  Source: www6.hertsmere.gov.uk

Search for 'BBC Elstree'.