The North East-born founder of a global production company has unveiled plans for a £450m film studios which could create one of Europe’s largest facilities as well as thousands of jobs.
FulwellCain Studios – a joint venture between global entertainment company Fulwell 73 and Cain International – says its plans for Crown Works Studios in Sunderland would aid the launch of a creative cluster in the region, coming just months after the launch of plans for a water studio within the city.
The plans are described by city leaders as “the single most significant development announcement to come out of the North East in decades” and will build on Fulwell 73’s existing presence in the city. The joint venture – which requires support from Government to go ahead – aims to lead the development of a 1.68m sq ft film industry hub at Pallion, with up to 20 sound stages suitable for major feature film and TV productions.
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Subject to planning permissions, Crown Works Studios would be constructed on land on the banks of the river Wear and would be delivered in three phases, with work set to start this year and the final phase set to complete by 2027.
City leaders and production company Fulwell 73 said the studios could be transformational for the city’s economy, cultivating an eco-system 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.
According to estimates from consultants at Saffery Champness and Nordicity, the proposed development is expected to bolster regional economic growth, generating £336m for the local economy every year and promote levelling up by generating 8,450 employment opportunities in the North East within the next decade.
These projections are based on anticipated levels of film and television productions at The Crown Works Studios over 10 years, and encompass jobs created directly and within the supply chain.
Fulwell 73’s partners; Gabe Turner, Ben Turner, Leo Pearlman, Ben Winston and James Corden issued a joint statement: “We are unified in our belief that there is a unique opportunity to bring further high end production to the UK through this ambitious Sunderland based studio project; putting the region on the map as a global production destination.”
Leo Pearlman, managing partner at Fulwell 73, said: “Fulwell is a company built on family and the North East is embedded in our DNA. For over 100 years my family had a business here in Sunderland and called this great City home, so to be able to bring Fulwell back to where the inspiration for our global entertainment company began is a truly humbling experience. Through delivering the studios, we will create a long term production industry infrastructure, attract even more significant high end production to the UK and ensure that future generations of North Eastern talent can develop and prosper at home within the region.”
Crown Works Studios will include production workshops and office space, a vendor village for supply chain businesses, administrative and social facilities, a multi-storey car park and an extensive backlot.
The project is supported by Sunderland City Council, which has brought together key partners to work with the investors to shape the plans. The scheme follows on from previously announced plans for Shipyard Studios, which will support a wider cluster of film and media activity.
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “These are absolutely unparalleled proposals that – if approved - will reinvent the Sunderland economy, establishing the city as home to a modern and growing industry that will create jobs and opportunities for thousands of people across the North East.
“This is a vote of confidence for the city and its people – recognising Sunderland’s history of innovation and of making things. We have been working on these plans with Fulwell 73 and Cain for many months, so it’s absolutely brilliant to finally be in position to unveil them, and to demonstrate the scale of ambition we have for this city. It’s absolutely transformational and something we’re determined to see through.”
MP for Sunderland Central, Julie Elliott, said: “The announcement of plans today for the creation of a major film studio in Sunderland is a landmark moment for the city. It is a clear show of confidence in the region and its people, and it it will play a vital part in the future of Sunderland, placing itself on the banks of the Wear, that form some of the foundations of the city we live in today.
“These plans will bring transformational change to the local and regional economy on an unprecedented scale. I have worked closely with many people to support and champion the huge opportunity this investment will bring to our city. I can’t wait to see it come to fruition once the planning process has been completed.
“It really is a great time to live and work in Sunderland, and this announcement shows that the city has a strong future, leading the way in arts and culture, well on its way to becoming a European hub for filmmaking.”
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