Sunderland Gives Green Light to First Phase of Crown Works Studios

Image: Sunderland City Council

Sunderland City Council's planning authority has approved the first phase of Crown Works Studios, clearing the way for construction of Studio One: a 125,000 square foot production facility with three sound stages, production support space, and a backlot, alongside refurbishment of the historic WH Foster Printworks building on the same site.

The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority has committed more than £38 million to the scheme, part of just over £60 million in public investment that also covers land assembly and remediation work on the site.

UK regional authorities have increasingly positioned studio infrastructure as a form of economic development rather than leaving it entirely to private capital. Sunderland's approach here, land assembly and remediation paid for publicly while a private operator builds and runs the stages, is a template other post-industrial UK cities have been watching closely as they try to attract production work away from London and Manchester.

Source: Prolific North, ScreenDaily, TVBEurope.