Littlewoods project backed despite studios pull-out

The company behind plans to regenerate Liverpool's landmark Littlewoods building said the project was still on track despite proposals to bring a film studio to the site falling through.

Capital & Centric - which has been involved with the Edge Lane site for more than a decade - confirmed that Twickenham Studios was no longer going to be involved.

There had been plans to turn the famous Art Deco building into a "Hollywood of the North" film production and post-production complex.

Speaking after Chancellor John Healey announced a £20m funding package for the scheme in Wednesday's Budget, Capital & Centric's John Moffat tried to allay concerns of "another false dawn" for the site.

Twickenham Studios - involved in making high-profile films such as War Horse and The Iron Lady - was announced as an "anchor tenant" in 2018, planning to take up to 85,000 sq ft (nearly two acres / 0.8 hectares) of the complex.

Even after a major fire in the buildings that year, Twickenham Studios said it was still committed to the project and said the same in 2024, despite having dissolved a company it had set up called Twickenham Studios Liverpool Ltd the year before.

Moffat confirmed to BBC North West Tonight that the film studio had pulled out of the project.

Twickenham Studios have been contacted for comment by the BBC.

Liberal Democrat councillor for Gateacre in Liverpool, Kris Brown, told the BBC the Littlewoods project simply could not afford "another false dawn".

"I think the sheer scale of the project meant this was never viable without the government stepping in," he said.

"But if we can get it under way it would be a great thing for Liverpool, the North West, and the UK.

"We cannot afford any more false dawns though.

"Developers must get a contractor in place and we need full transparency on this and a plan - should this not work out in the future."

Moffat said he was confident the project would be completed and ultimately generate jobs and money.

"It does need more than £20m but this unlocks further funding," he said of the chancellor's investment announcement on Wednesday.

"The site's made a huge amount of progress.

"Obviously we had some grant funding.

"We've spent that remediating the site, getting it structurally stable.

"This now is the next step moving us from ambition into action and actually delivering the scheme.

"I understand people's scepticism but, as a business, this is what we do up and down the country.

"We take sites that people think are beyond regeneration and we bring them back and we turn them into really exciting places and thriving economic generators - which is exactly what this site is going to be.

"It's going to generate thousands of new jobs and hundreds of millions per annum for the local economy."

Lynn Saunders, head of the Liverpool Film Office, said the site was needed to support the demand for creative spaces in the city region.

"I've been providing evidence for the past 15 years why we need to build infrastructure in, for example, film and TV," she said.

"Productions are flocking here but there isn't ancillary space, workshops or innovation space."

"This isn't a film and TV dedicated site, it's creative industries.

"It's about providing a focal point to develop skills for creative industries.

"I think the announcement by the chancellor gives this scheme a massive boost.

"It will allow all the various different public agencies and the private sector to look at the city's potential.

"Why not Liverpool?"

Jimmy Mulville, managing director of Hattrick TV productions, shared a similar view to Saunders.

"I think Liverpool is the most 'film city' outside of London," Mulville said.

"It kind of makes sense that you have a state-of-the-art studio here.

"It's about time I think.

"It's such a fabulous city to shoot in - the locations are brilliant.

"I've spoken to many producers who shoot locations here but then are forced to go down south to Pinewood and Shepperton to complete their production."

He added: "If this building was in London, it would have been redeveloped many, many years ago."

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