The UK culture secretary has called for Crown Works Studios progress.
Following approval by the local authority last year and a £25 million government investment in the project, Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has said she expects to see progress “very quickly” on the development.
Although preparatory work on the Sunderland site has begun, construction has yet to start. Speaking to the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service, Nandy said the government wanted to see the regeneration of the former shipyard develop “at pace.” The £475 million studio complex is expected to be one of the largest in Europe, with 20 premium sound stages for film and high-end TV production.
Commenting on the project, 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.”
Once completed, the development could create up to 8,450 jobs and add £2 billion to the economy in the region. Preparation work is expected to continue until the summer and Sunderland City Council said it expects building work to start “later in the year.”
