Sunderland's Crown Works Studios has received a major boost with North-East Mayor Kim McGuinness committing more than £38 million to kickstart delivery of Phase 1 of the scheme - unlocking construction with a target start date of July 2026 and completion by the end of 2027. The development, located in Pallion on the banks of the River Wear, will create a 125,000 sq ft studio complex capable of hosting blockbuster films, TV dramas, live events, and gameshows, making it one of the largest studio complexes in the North of England.
The Phase 1 works will include a new-build studio and a refurbishment of the historic Doxford Printworks building, forming part of the wider Crown Works Growth Zone - a designated area of land in Pallion set to create new jobs in the creative and screen industries. The funding package reconfirms a £25 million commitment from the Government's Trailblazer Devolution Deal, plus an additional £11 million of repayable funding to enable delivery. The project forms part of Sunderland's wider £2 billion Riverside regeneration masterplan, which also includes 1,000 new homes and 1 million sq ft of commercial space along the Wear.
Sunderland City Council leader Councillor Michael Mordey welcomed the funding as a "momentous step forward", noting the development will bring a wide range of employment opportunities - from joiners, electricians, and painters to sound engineers, and digital creators. The North-East has seen a 131% growth in screen production spend over the past four years, and Crown Works is intended to be the physical anchor for the region's growing creative economy. The project still requires a private investor to fulfil the full original vision, with CBRE continuing to lead the search for an operator and development partner.