'Sunderland now a key player': PM and Chancellor's visit after film studio funding announcement

Sunderland is firmly marking its territory on the creative landscape, according to the Prime Minister on a visit to the region.

Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt visited Wearside to promote a multimillion-pound project to develop one of Europe’s largest film-making complexes.

Mr Sunak and Mr Hunt were welcomed to Sunderland University's media centre to talk about the development of the nearby Crown Works Studios, a brownfield site on the banks of the River Wear, which could employ 8,000 people.

At last week’s Budget, the Chancellor announced £37 million of Government grants plus new fundraising powers which will enable the North East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA) to deliver the regeneration project.

Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt toured a studio at the university where students learn the craft of making TV. Both politicians stayed were behind the cameras while two students discussed the upcoming studio development, with one, Issac Jukes, expressing excitement at the idea of stars coming to make films on Wearside.

The student said: “Tom Cruise in the middle of Sunderland, it’s going to be mental.”

Mr Sunak said: “It’s very nice to watch someone else being interviewed, I really enjoyed that, it was great.”

The tour also included an industry-like TV gallery to watch how the pictures could be vision mixed for broadcast,

The two senior Tories then chatted in the Spark radio studio where they recorded an indent for the student-run community station.

Mr Sunak was asked to re-record his message, saying: “Hello Sunderland, this is the Prime Minister Rishi, and you are listening to Spark.”

After completing his recording first time, Mr Hunt joked: “What’s the fee?”

Jeremy Hunt also added: "We have become Europe's largest film and TV production centre but we don’t want that to just be something that happens in London and South East amazing though the filming is that happens there.

"Today here in Sunderland we are announcing a £450 million investment that’s going to employ 8500 people.

"This is going to mean that Sunderland becomes a key part of our creative industry success story.

"This is our vision know that if were going to become one of the most prosperous countries in Europe and indeed the world we can’t just have wealth concentrated in London and the South East which is why today's announcement here in Sunderland is so important."

The Crown Works Studios is a joint venture between Fulwell 73 and Cain International, known as FulwellCain, will see the partners invest £450 million into the project.

NEMCA will designate the site as a “growth zone” allowing Sunderland City Council to retain 100% of business rate growth for the next 25 years.

It is expected to attract major films and high-end TV series to be made in the North East, bringing in millions of pounds of investment annually.

The region has seen Indiana Jones, Harry Potter and Transformers movies filmed there already on location.

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