Councillors fear a decision to allow repeatedly early-hours filming at a beauty spot near Farnham may have set a precedent.

Bastion Productions have been granted permission by Waverley Borough Council to film up to 2.30am at Bourne Wood on five nights between now and December 20.

The council initially restricted the firm – which is working with Amazon on a spy thriller called Citadel – not to film after 11pm and inform neighbours of nighttime shooting.

But a request to amend the condition to allow two shoots until 1am and a further five until 2.30am has been allowed after much deliberation.

The request elicited a handful of objections from nearby residents and Farnham Town Council, as they fear the WBC will lead to more early-morning filming requests.

“The filming company wanted to film in hours of darkness but we suggested they could just extend their filming schedule a couple of days,” said town clerk, Iain Lynch during last Thursday’s FTC meeting.

“But despite FTC objections Waverley has agreed to their request. The concern is this could now set a worrying precedent for future applications and we know Bourne Wood is in great demand for filming.”

Councillors also heard plans are in the pipeline for an inaugural Farnham Film Festival to be held in 2025 with money potentially being set aside for the event.

The town’s burgeoning reputation as a filming hotspot could also be boosted by the government as the industry is being offered tax relief.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the culture secretary Lisa Nandy recently confirmed that first-time productions with a budget of up to £15million will be eligible for a tax relief of 53 per cent.

The latter said: “The UK’s first-class independent filmmakers have a track record of creating cult classics and surprise hits that are enjoyed by millions.”