The £70 million development of Liverpool’s Littlewoods Building into a new TV and film facility suffered a setback after one of the key partners decided it would no longer move into the building.
Liverpool John Moores University has announced it no longer plans to take over 75,000 sq ft for an education space that will include and Entertainment Technology Centre to ensure local young people develop high-level skills to work in the industry.
The University said that it will remain an “active and close partner” but will instead be looking to invest further in its own campus and facilities, reports the Liverpool Echo.
A spokesperson for the University told the paper: “Littlewoods is a remarkable project and the university is fully supportive of the transformational potential it has for film and TV industries in the city and the opportunities it will create.
“We will remain an active and close partner, committed to working in partnership with the film office, the city, the combined authority and the film industry locally to support inclusive growth in this sector.”
Liverpool City Council said that while LJMU’s decision was “regrettable” it would “make no material difference to the planned remediation.
Twickenham Film Studios remains in place as the facility’s other anchor tenant. It is due to take over 85,000 sq ft of studio and ancillary space, which will be operated by TIME+SPACE Studios.
