Council chief hopes Crown Works construction will start next year

Sunderland City Council CEO Patrick Melia has said he hopes to see building work start on Crown Works studios in 2026.

- by Neil Fatkin

An artist's impression showing how the Crown Works film studios in Sunderland could look.

It comes as local authority chiefs confirmed global real estate service advisor CBRE has been appointed to spearhead the search for new private investors to help fund the £450million development.

With preparatory works on land next to the Northern Spire Bridge already underway, the project and city was dealt a major blow when at the end of June the council and the North East Combined Authority (NECA) announced they were looking for fresh investment after the initial backers, financiers Cain International, withdrew.

The Government has provided an initial £25million cash injection, via the devolution deal which established the North East mayor, while Sunderland City Council and the North East mayoral authority has committed to ultimately invest up to £120million.

However, this still leaves the project around £300million short on the original estimated cost of the development on the 80-acre site on the banks of the River Wear.

Mr Melia was speaking to the city's business leaders at the Sunderland Business Week launch event at the Stadium of Light.

When asked what he was looking forward to for the city in 2026, one of the developments Mr Melia mentioned was his hopes that building works will start on the Crown Works Studios.