Residents of disaster-prone Albert Square will at least have quicker access to medical care as the new EastEnders set expansion is revealed.

BBC bosses have been secretly working on a huge addition to the set of their flagship soap, with new photos showing the sheer scale of the project.

Walford locals are gaining a new hospital, complete with an A&E entrance, a new police station and a parade of shops as part of the set overhaul in Elstree, Hertfordshire.  

The additions come just four years after the BBC rebuilt the set in 2020 as part of its ambitious £87 million overhaul at Elstree Studios.

Parts of the old set have been reconfigured to create new streets and locations to film on.

As well as the hospital, there is a parade of shops with a royal nod as they sit on ‘Charles Street’. King Charles and wife Camilla appeared in a special episode of EastEnders in June 2022 to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

Residents of disaster-prone Albert Square will at least have quicker access to medical care as the new EastEnders set expansion is revealed

Walford locals are gaining a hospital, a new police station and a parade of shops as part of the set overhaul in Elstree, Hertfordshire

There’s also some modern additions to the East End neighbourhood with a trendy box-park style eating area and a gaming cafe.

Mitchell’s Autos aka The Arches could be getting some competition as a new rival garage is under construction. 

Extra space for the market, new houses, green spaces and fresh businesses including a Turkish barbers can also be glimpsed in the snaps. 

A source told The Sun last month: ‘The soap is celebrating 40 years on our screens and what better way to mark it than expanding the existing set with exciting new places to film.’

‘Building works have been going on for some time but it’s hoped that it will be finished this summer.

The 2020 rebuild of the EastEnders set was undertaken to bring Walford into the HD era, replacing the original 1984 structure with a more durable and realistic design.

The BBC described the old set as ‘no longer fit for purpose,’ highlighting the need for an upgrade that would extend the fictional East End to better reflect modern London.

Meanwhile EastEnders’ famous pub The Queen Vic is expected to return to screens later this spring after major revamp.

BBC bosses have been secretly working on a huge addition to the set of their flagship soap, with new photos showing the sheer scale of the project

A new police station has been built in the heart of the square, where exciting plots are sure to unfold 

New businesses are also in development wit a Turkish barbers spotted in the expansion

Fresh green spaces for the Walford residents to enjoy are also dotted about the set 

The pub was destroyed during the 40th anniversary explosion. Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) crashed into the pub, triggering a devastating collapse that claimed the life of show veteran Martin Fowler (James Bye).

Colwell himself also perished, crushed by a bathtub in the wreckage.

Following his heroic attempt to rescue his longtime love Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), he was crushed by a falling beam.

At first, it appeared that Martin had been successfully rescued from underneath the beam, but his heart then stopped as firefighters rushed to try and save him.

His ex-wife Stacey was left in floods of tears as Martin died in front of her eyes just moments after he declared his love for her and proposed.

The heartbreaking episode ended with Stacey hugging Martin’s lifeless body while her screams could be heard by those waiting outside the Queen Vic for news.

Speaking about his exit, James said: ‘Saying goodbye is not easy, but after 10 years at EastEnders and on the night of the show’s epic 40th anniversary – the time felt right. It’s an honour to leave on a story of this magnitude.

‘A huge thank you to all the fans of the show – EastEnders wouldn’t be what it is without you – and to the BBC and EastEnders team for trusting me with this role for so many years.

‘This fruit and veg man will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s time to look forward, and I’m incredibly excited for what the future holds. RIP Martin Fowler.’

The A&E reception sits behind a trendy new box park style seating area, painted in bright colours

Signs advertising a silent disco in the new event space have been displayed whilst graffiti covers the walls of the barbers 

The Square could gain some new residents thanks to some new terraced housing, with the facades including front doors spotted on set 

A new sign for the freshly revamped Queen Vic. The famous pub is expected to return to screens later this spring after major revamp

The pub was destroyed during the 40th anniversary explosion. Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) crashed into the pub, triggering a devastating collapse

The new additions come just four years after the BBC rebuilt the set in 2020 as part of its ambitious £87 million overhaul at Elstree Studios

The 40th anniversary episodes marked a huge ratings surge for the soap.

The consolidated viewership ratings for the week have been revealed – including for both the hour-long special and the live episode.

According to BARB figures, the hour-long episode, which aired on Wednesday February 19, attracted an audience of 4.8 million viewers, while the live episode which aired the following night drew in 5.2 million viewers.