A Conservative North East mayor would 'support Crown Works film studios in Sunderland' with cash

The Conservative candidate in the North East mayoral election says he would, if elected, use money from his budget to support the proposed Crown Works film studios in Pallion.

Guy Renner-Thompson is among six candidates for the election on May 2, to decide the leader of the new North East Mayoral Combined Authority who will be given funding and decision-making powers, including a yearly £48m investment fund.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has effectively been given his March 6 budget as a deadline by FulwellCain, the partnership leading the venture, to announce support.

FulwellCain has raised £450m private investment, but says the government must deliver £20m annually for 10 years, otherwise the studio might never happen.

The partners say building one of Europe's biggest studios in Sunderland would create 8,500 new job and £334m annually for the North East economy.

Mr Renner-Thompson, a Northumberland County councillor, would not be drawn on what Mr Hunt should specifically do, but said he "would leverage" an unspecified amount of the money at his disposal as mayor into the scheme.

He said: "I fully support the vision to create Crown Works film studios in Sunderland, and the Chancellor said in November that he wanted to see a 'Sunderland Barbie' and was in talks with investors.

"I can't comment on the budget which is due to be released in only two weeks time.

"However, in May voters go to the polls to elect a Mayor of the North East who comes with a £48million-per-year investment fund to be invested in the region to drive growth and economic regeneration.

"I would leverage that money to support Crown Works film studios in Sunderland and bring the jobs of the future to the North East."

Mr Hunt is under pressure to back the studios.

Labour's mayoral candidate Kim McGuiness said: “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."

Sunderland's Lib Dem councillors have said much the same.

However, leader of Sunderland's Conservatives, Cllr Antony Mullen has said: "It is simply unreasonable to say that the Government should give a handout to private business when there is so clearly a need to spend public funds elsewhere."

Cllr Mullen wants the studios to be entirely privately funded.