Liverpool is on track to become the ‘Hollywood of the North’. With starring roles in the likes of Peaky Blinders and The Batman, it has become the most filmed UK city outside of London. Now, it’s set get some shiny new film studios to boost its movie stardom even further.
Plans to turn the iconic art deco Littlewood Pools into a £70 million film studio complex have just been given ‘lights, camera, action’ by Liverpool City Council.
The landmark has sat empty and derelict on Liverpool’s Edge Lane for the last 20 years. It was built way back in 1928 and was initially home to the Littlewoods football pools betting games before being used for manufacturing during the Second World War.
As part of the approved regeneration project, there will be two ‘big budget’ TV and film studios with a food hall, performance zone, educational facilities and screening zone. It’s thought that the regeneration will bring 4,000 more jobs to the area.
Mark Sidebotham, director at Shedkm (the architects behind the project), said: ‘For more than a decade, we have been working to find the right solution to bring this landmark back to life, and it’s an honour to contribute to a project of this scale and significance in our home city … we look forward to not only preserving the rich heritage of this site but also creating a space that will serve as a cultural hub for future generations.’
John Moffat, joint managing director at developer Capital and Centric (which is working alonside Shedkm), said: ‘You can’t underestimate what [the approval] means for local people – me among them – not only seeing this iconic building brought back to life but bolstering the city’s creative credentials and creating jobs and careers for generations. It’s the moment everyone’s been waiting for.’
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