Sunderland calls action on £450m film studios

Plans for a £450m film studio in Pallion in Sunderland have been given the go-ahead by the city council. Work on the first phase of Crown Works Studios – a major filmmaking hub that will stand on the banks of the River Wear – is set to begin this summer. Completion is scheduled for 2027. Outline proposals for two further phases of the development, which will extend to almost 1.7m sq ft in total, have also been rubber stamped. The studios are being delivered by FulwellCain – a joint venture between Cain International and Fulwell 73 – and have backing from backing of Sunderland City Council. Cash from the trailblazer funding for the new North East Mayoral Combined Authority could also be used to help bring the project forward. The studios are set to be one of the largest in Europe, with 20 sound stages. FulwellCain said Crown Works – named after the shipyard that once stood on the site – would be transformational for the city’s economy, cultivating an ecosystem on a scale not seen since Nissan’s investment in Sunderland in the 1980s, while meeting the growing demand for studio space in the UK. Upon completion, the scheme could generate £334m for the local economy every year, creating jobs and contract opportunities spanning a range of disciplines including the trades and manual skills. Image © 4D Studio Architects