Liverpool City Council’s planning committee has unanimously approved the transformation of the 1930s former Littlewoods Building.
The move is in line with recommendations given by the officer last week following the submission of a planning application by developer Capital & Centric last year.
The proposals, created by architect shedkm, span 270,000 sq ft, featuring two 22,000 sq ft studios along with office space, four cinema screens, a performance space and a food hall.
Capital & Centric will also restore and repurpose a clock on the iconic tower, which has been temporarily removed due to safety issues. Enabling work on the £70m project has already started while search for contractors for the main restoration works began last month .
The planned sound stages will take around a year to build and become operational. Avison Young advised on planning matters and was recently instructed, alongside CBRE, to launch a hunt for occupiers.
The UK’s oldest film studio Twickenham has been proposed as a major anchor tenant for 85,000 sq ft since 2021, alongside Liverpool John Moores University, for 75,000 sq ft.
However, the latter pulled out of the deal in October 2022. The university remains a close partner of the project but will be investing in its own campus and facilities.
John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital & Centric, said: “Liverpool already has a reputation as a world-class filming destination. The Littlewoods Project will take it to the next level, providing much-needed indoor studio space and support facilities.”
Steve Rotheram, mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “This project not only preserves a cherished part of our heritage but will also drive economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and cement our place on the international stage as a destination for high-end productions.
“It’s fantastic to see our vision for the ‘Hollywood of the North’ take another step towards becoming a reality, and we’re proud to support this iconic development with a £17m investment.”
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Image © Capital & Centric
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