Chancellor to back plans for a North East film studio in his Spring Budget by Kim McGuinness

Kim McGuinness has called on the Chancellor to use his March 6th Budget to back multi-million pound plans to build an international film and TV studios in the North East.

The Labour mayoral candidate has written to Jeremey Hunt outlining the urgent need to make a decision on the transformational plans after holding face to face meetings with studio bosses.

Kim is standing with a commitment to turn the region’s overlooked creative industries into a key strength in the North East economy and put the region back on a global stage.

The Crown Works Studios in Sunderland, led by FulwellCain – a JV between Fulwell 73 and Cain International – has the potential to turbocharge both the cultural and the foundational economy in the North East. 

It has the joint support of North East council leaders, local media and wider business community, who all recognise that the site could be ‘a second Nissan’ for the North East, as well as supporting UK Plc to unlock huge untapped potential in the creative industries, on a global stage.

Private sector funds are already in place to build the studio, but to go ahead the site also needs a multi-million pound support package from Government. Kim said the studio plans show the potential for the region – and why the North East urgently needs real devolution.

She said: “The Chancellor has to view his Spring Budget as deadline day for investing in North East jobs. We need to grow our way out of recession and this is an incredible opportunity not just for North East jobs but for the country as a whole. I have written to the Chancellor urging him to match the private sector and invest a multi-million pound growth package in these development plans.

“But I also see that we are once again forced to go cap-in-hand to London to ask permission to do something that our region has backed. It is time we had a real devolution deal to the entire North East, so that just like Manchester or London we are free to make our own decisions. It’s time we ended the days of officials sat in an office 300. Miles away taking our decision for us.”

The Chancellor has been told that the studio ambitions will, if backed, translate into 8,450 new jobs and lever in an annual production spend of £644m in our economy. 

As well as camera operators and writers the site will also need builders and plumbers, hairdressers, costume designers, drivers, carpenters, electricians, and many more. 

People from a huge variety of skilled professions will find work at Crown Works Studios, as well as jobs for cleaners, drivers and security among other roles.