How the meeting unfolded as the Sunderland film studios plans were approved

Major plans for a film and TV studios development on Wearside have been given the green light by councillors, who have described the project as ”transformational”, “amazing” and“mesmeric”.

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee voted unanimously to approve plans for the Crown Works Studios development at a meeting last night (March 25, 2024).

The long-vacant former Coles Cranes site in Pallion, which sits in the shadow of the Northern Spire bridge, is expected to become one of the largest film-making complexes in Europe creating thousands of jobs.

It comes after a government Budget announcement of grants and new fundraising powers, which will enable the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA) to help deliver the regeneration project.

FulwellCain, a joint venture between global entertainment company Fulwell 73 and Cain International, and Sunderland City Council have been spearheading the bid to pave the way for the £450million film and TV studios for some time.

The development is expected to create more than 8,000 jobs across the North East over the next decade, as well as pumping millions of pounds into the regional economy.

Councillors on the Planning and Highways Committee discussed and approved a ‘hybrid’ planning application for the studios at a meeting at City Hall on Monday.

This included full planning permission for the first phase of the scheme, including sound stages, production support workshop buildings, a gateway security checkpoint building, a multi-storey car park, a substation, a waste centre and more.

Outline planning approval, covering future phases of the film studios, establishes the principle of buildings and uses across the wider site with final details being subject to further ‘reserved matters’ applications in future.

Outline plans include sound stages, production offices and production workshops”, a “vendors village” for specialist businesses supporting film and TV productions, a multi-storey car park and the demolition of some buildings.

A key part of the development includes converting the red brick printworks building adjacent to the phase one site into a “technical education academy” and demolishing its industrial extension which is currently occupied by Sunderland’s climbing wall, which will be looked at in ‘phase two’.

Temporary planning permission was also approved for structures and infrastructure to allow filming on ‘backlots’ before later phases of the studios come forward, which can include “mobile cranes, booms, water bowsers and flying or stunt rigs.

Members of the Planning and Highways Committee asked several technical questions about traffic, ecology and playing pitch mitigation linked to the development, and received detailed answers from council planning officers.

Before the planning application was put to the vote, several members of the Planning and Highways Committee acknowledged the transformational impact the Crown Works Studios would have on Sunderland.

Councillor Martin Haswell said: “As the councillor for Pallion and Ford it’s in my ward and this is a wonderful development, it has really been welcomed by local people.

“Subject to approval, the fact we’re going to see over £400 million worth of investment in a site that’s been empty for 25 years is excellent.

“There’s 8,000 jobs, the fact that there’s going to be a programme to try and ensure that there’s local labour agreements and apprenticeships for local kids.

“It’s one of the most deprived areas in the city so to have that on our doorstep is a massive massive opportunity”.

Councillor Iain Scott described Crown Works Studios as “probably the most eagerly awaited planning application in the history of this great city”.

Cllr Scott said: “The difference that this application is going to make to the city is absolutely mesmeric.

“We’re talking over 8,000 jobs here and many more in the local vicinity and again additional hospitality jobs in the city with the vendors’ village situated to the south of the plans we see here.

“This is one of the biggest industrial plans since Nissan came to the city back in the 1980s and I share sentiments about there being local jobs there for local people, that’s really key to driving our local economy too.

“I also echo [vice-chancellor] Sir David Bell’s comments in the media over the last few days about the University of Sunderland receiving a massive influx of applications to the university and again it’s huge for students wanting to come to Sunderland who want to learn, live, work, rest and play here as well.

“It’s safe to say that with this application today, pending approval, that Sunderland is no longer going to be just the noisy neighbour in the North East anymore.

“This is going to be a true jewel in the crown and one of the key catalysts to our ongoing ambition to be one of the biggest and best medium-sized cities in the UK”.

Councillor Michael Dixon said: “At the scrutiny committee we did discuss the benefits it would have to people in the city.

“One thing that we were very excited about would be that young people would stay in Sunderland now rather than having to go away to do degrees on this or for work as well with apprenticeships.

“Finally I think it brings the city together with the Netflix documentary Sunderland ‘Til I Die and Fulwell 73, Leo Pearlman and his links to Sunderland, it’s just a great news story”.

Councillor James Warne said the application would give Sunderland the “chance to transform” as a city and was a “wonderful opportunity”.

Elsewhere, councillor Gregory Peacock reflected on Nissan’s benefits to Sunderland over the decades and stressed that the film and TV studios would have a similar impact.

Cllr Peacock said: “One of the biggest advantages of this particular proposal is that it’s a long-term industry coming, it’s not a short-term fix.

“Although everybody is excited about it, this is a long-term thing and will be here for a long time”.

Several members of the Planning and Highways Committee also thanked council planning officers for their efforts in helping to make the film and TV studios project a reality.

Councillor Melanie Thornton, chair of the panel, added: “As councillors, we’re very proud of Sunderland but this just is the icing on the cake.

“It’s amazing that we’re going to have this development in our city and I’m delighted with all the comments.

“It’s fantastic for our city to keep the wealth of creative talent that we have in our city in the city, and for people to live and work here, it’s amazing”.

Sunderland City Council planning officers, in a report prepared ahead of the Planning and Highways Committee, had recommended the studios scheme for approval.

A council committee report stated that “significant positive weight” needed to be given to the development’s “anticipated positive impact on the city’s economy and the opportunities it will bring in terms of employment and skills”.

The council committee report added: “More broadly, it must be recognised that the proposed development is of such a scale and standing that it will benefit the profile of the city and wider region.

“The UK film and TV sector is a growth industry, and the proposed development would be a flagship facility of major standing with the ability to provide infrastructure to deliver additional filming capacity and support the continued growth of the industry in the North East and the wider nation”.

Applicants hope to start work on the Crown Works Studios development this year and to complete the final phase of the studios by 2027.