00:00Plans to develop a major film studio complex on the Crown Works site in Sunderland are continuing,
00:05but the scale of the first phase has been reduced from the original proposal.
00:10Initial plans outlined a privately funded project worth around £450 million,
00:15with 19 studios across a large production campus.
00:19Revised proposals now focus on two buildings, providing about 125,000 square feet of studio space.
00:27The first phase will be supported by £38.5 million of public funding.
00:33Construction is expected to begin in July, with completion currently anticipated by the end of 2027.
00:39One of the project's private investors withdrew earlier in the year,
00:43and production company Fullwell Entertainment has since confirmed it will no longer deliver the scheme.
00:49North East Mayor Kim McGuinness says demand for film and television production space is growing,
00:54and argues the development could still support thousands of jobs over time.
00:59Sunderland City Council leader Michael Maudley says discussions with other studio operators
01:04suggested building the full original scale immediately would not match current demand.
01:10However, opposition Liberal Democrat councillors have questioned the changes,
01:15describing the revised plans as a climb-down and calling for greater transparency about earlier decisions.
01:21Regional officials say the site could still expand in future if demand grows.
01:26Further expansion could depend on future private investment and market demand.
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