Liverpool Council have announced plans to redevelop the semi-derelict Littlewoods HQ at Edge Lane into a vast film studio. The reports that the £70m scheme could become one of the biggest film and TV hubs in Europe, and create up to 4,000 new jobs. There would also be new office space and media facilities at the site.
The proposals include a two-stage development process, with £8m worth of remedial works being carried out for the first 12 months. is a fine example of art deco architecture, which was completed in 1938 by Scottish architect Gerald de Courcey Fraser. Sadly, it has been empty since the mid 1990s, and was damaged by fire in 2018.
If approved, funding will come from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, and be granted to the current leaseholders Capital and Centric. There are already plans in place for two major occupiers, Twickenham Studios and Liverpool John Moores University, for filming and training purposes.
Councillor Sarah Doyle, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet member for Economic Development, said: “The Littlewoods Studios scheme has the potential to be a real game changer for the city’s TV and Film sector, underlining our growth as a truly world class location.”
She added: “The move from being the ‘go to city’ for exterior shoots to one that can provide productions with the studios and talent supply to match our stunning backdrops is one the city needs to deliver, as the economic and educational benefits are there for all to see.”
Liverpool is already a popular international filming location. Last year, key scenes from the upcoming Batman movie were shot in the city centre, and numerous TV series, such as Peaky Blinders, Doctor Who, and COBRA: Cyberwar are regularly filmed in the region. The new studio will be known as The Depot, and will draw many more creatives to the area.
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