Latest news with #CrownWorksStudios
BBC News
30-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sunderland's Crown Works Studios' backer pulls out of film hub
New investment is being sought to finance a major film studio after one of its backers pulled £450m Crown Works Studios project in Sunderland is being designed as a major hub for the TV and film industry and it is hoped it will allow major projects to be created in the north-east of International confirmed it had withdrawn from the project but declined to give a reason for the remaining backer, Fulwell Entertainment, said it remained committed to working with Sunderland City Council to find "appropriate private funding" to allow the development to continue. Crown Works Studios is set to be built on the banks of the River Wear and it is hoped it will create thousands of jobs in the government has already provided £25m towards the project, while the council and the North East mayoral authority have committed to invest about £120m, according to the Local Democracy Reporting much of the funding was expected to come from a joint venture between Fulwell and Cain, which had intended on building 19 sound stages at the riverside site. A spokesperson for Fulwell Entertainment said: "Fulwell Entertainment remains committed to working with the council to find appropriate private funding, complementing the combined NE authority and wider government funding needed to make these world-class production studios a reality." Labour-led Sunderland City Council said the proposals were "being presented to the investment market, with the aim to put in place a final funder and developer later this year".Council leader Michael Mordey said: "These studios represent a game-changing opportunity for the city and we cannot wait to see them progress. "There's an absolute commitment to secure the best possible delivery partner to move this forward and we expect that we will have funding confirmed and be ready to progress the first phase of the studios by the time remediation works complete later this year."Labour's North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said she remained confident Crown Works Studios would be "a flagship site in a thriving industry for years to come." The council's Liberal Democrat opposition leader, Paul Edgeworth, said he hoped the studios would not turn out to be an "empty promise"."Labour have every lever at their disposal to make sure this project is a success," he said. "Sunderland council, the regional mayor and the government must now make it their top priority to make sure this development gets off the ground." Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
16-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Sunderland Crown Works film studio works force salt store move
Works on a major film studio mean a council is having to shift one of its winter salt City Council has submitted an application to its own planning department to relocate its salt store for the east of the city, at Shorts Quay, as it is currently on the proposed Crown Works Film Studios is seeking permission to move it to an empty Beach Street site in Deptford, which was previously used as a waste recycling plans described the new development as a "proposed salt heap", 34ft (10.4m) in height, to be used help keep roads safe during the winter period. Plans for the Crown Works Studios project on the banks of the River Wear were given the green light last year with hopes of creating more than 8,000 council is only applying for a temporary change of use for the Beach Street depot, for a "maximum of five years", the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. 7,000 tonnes of salt The local authority's primary salt store is in Houghton, according to a transport statement submitted to council was noted that an additional salt store was needed for the east of the city, in case vehicles could not get through Houghton cut in the transport statement added: "To stock the initial salt heap, it is anticipated that there will be a maximum of 175 deliveries of salt during late summer months with a maximum total delivery volume of 7,000 tonnes of salt."These operations would be carried out during daytime hours over a two-week period." A decision on the planning application is expected to be made following a council council's planning portal website lists a decision deadline of 4 August. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Government wants film studio to proceed 'at pace'
The culture secretary says she expects to see progress "very quickly" on the building of a £475m film and TV studio in Sunderland. Plans for the Crown Works Studios project were given the green light last year with hopes of creating more than 8,000 jobs. While preparatory works have begun on the former shipyard site in Pallion, next to the Northern Spire bridge, construction of the studios is yet to start. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Lisa Nandy said the government wanted to see the development progress "at pace". Government funding of £25m towards the regeneration of the riverside plot through the North East devolution deal, was announced by the then Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last year and backed by Rachel Reeves when Labour came to power. Production company Fulwell 73 and financiers Cain International plan to build 20 soundstages on the banks of the Wear. Asked about what progress was being made, Ms Nandy said: "We are working very closely to make sure that moves at pace and that [with] the investment we have put in people start to see results very quickly. "What we have to ensure is that we build that ecosystem of local skills around it to make it even more attractive for people to invest and build a much more resilient economy in the North East. "I think people living here will know, as I do living in Wigan, that if you only have one industry and that industry goes then it can be catastrophic. "But if you have the whole ecosystem of skills it survives for decades and decades to come." Diggers are on site to get the land ready for construction, with preparations expected to continue until this summer. Sunderland City Council said it was "remediating the site in preparation for future investment" and would soon be procuring a contractor, with building work expected to start "later in the year". Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Chancellor confirms £25m for landmark film studios Step forward for 'transformational' film studio plan New film studio would 'keep talent local' Department for Culture, Media and Sport Sunderland City Council
BBC News
05-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Government wants Sunderland film studio to proceed 'at pace'
The culture secretary says she expects to see progress "very quickly" on the building of a £475m film and TV studio in for the Crown Works Studios project were given the green light last year with hopes of creating more than 8,000 preparatory works have begun on the former shipyard site in Pallion, next to the Northern Spire bridge, construction of the studios is yet to to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Lisa Nandy said the government wanted to see the development progress "at pace". Government funding of £25m towards the regeneration of the riverside plot through the North East devolution deal, was announced by the then Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt last year and backed by Rachel Reeves when Labour came to company Fulwell 73 and financiers Cain International plan to build 20 soundstages on the banks of the Wear. Asked about what progress was being made, Ms Nandy said: "We are working very closely to make sure that moves at pace and that [with] the investment we have put in people start to see results very quickly."What we have to ensure is that we build that ecosystem of local skills around it to make it even more attractive for people to invest and build a much more resilient economy in the North East."I think people living here will know, as I do living in Wigan, that if you only have one industry and that industry goes then it can be catastrophic."But if you have the whole ecosystem of skills it survives for decades and decades to come." Diggers are on site to get the land ready for construction, with preparations expected to continue until this City Council said it was "remediating the site in preparation for future investment" and would soon be procuring a contractor, with building work expected to start "later in the year". Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
