Funding boost for Liverpool’s problematic Littlewoods revamp
The government has pledged £20m towards transforming the Edge Lane landmark into a major film and TV hub billed as the Liverpool Creative Campus.
The redevelopment of the Littlewoods site has long been in the works, taxing the minds of city leaders from the departure of the former retail giant in the 1990s until developer Capital&Centric acquired the 180,000 sq ft Art Deco building in 2017, along with developable land. The firm had already delivered a workspace project onsite.
C&C’s initial studio plans suffered a setback with a fire in 2018, before a refreshed £70m project dubbed the ‘Hollywood of the North’, by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram was unveiled in summer 2023, and approved in October 2024.
The plans as approved include the construction of two sound stages, each measuring approximately 20,400 sq ft with a height of 17 metres. Additionally, ancillary office, studio, and workshop spaces will be installed. A cinema, alongside two bars with outdoor seating, will be erected in the hangar area between the east and west wings.
Commitment of the cash from government in today’s Budget came amid a series of pledges made covering regeneration, housing and greater powers for the city region.
The investment from the Growth Mission Fund will support plans to restore and redevelop the historic building into a 260,000 sq ft creative production campus, subject to final business case approval.
LCC said that the funding unlocks the next phase of the project with work planned to start on site from spring 2027 to install infrastructure and carry out initial works on the existing building.
With various other cities, notably Sunderland with its Crown Works Studios, also advancing studio projects, the scheme is seen as an important part of Liverpool’s ambition to grow its film, TV and creative industries and attract further jobs and investment to the city.
The vision is for the Liverpool Creative Campus to become a powerhouse for creative production and technology, supporting around 630 permanent jobs and generating an estimated £56m a year for the economy when fully operational. LCC said that more than 6,500 digital and creative businesses employ 51,000 people, with particular strengths in screen, music and gaming in the city region.
Since 2019 alone, Liverpool Film Office has supported more than 1,600 productions, generating around £150m for the local economy.
The proposal also includes ScreenWorks Liverpool, a specialist post-16 education facility for up to 800 students, creating a centre of excellence in film and screen studies and a direct pathway from education to employment in the creative industries across the city region and North West.
Tim Heatley, co-founder of Capital&Centric, the developer behind Littlewoods, said: “Littlewoods has been part of Liverpool’s story for generations, and this is the moment Capital&Centric have been working towards for 10 years. This £20m is a huge vote of confidence and it moves us from ambition to action.
“Plenty of people have told us that we couldn’t save a building this big and this complicated, and that’s usually our cue to crack on. Taking on much-loved, tricky buildings is what we do. We’ve got eight live sites and have lots of heritage buildings behind us, and we’re bringing every bit of that to the Liverpool Creative Campus.
“Liverpool deserves something bold, and a creative campus that inspires young people into careers in film, TV and tech. With our partners, we’re going to deliver it.”
Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: “This is a huge moment for Liverpool and the region and a major vote of confidence in the city’s future.
“For generations, the Littlewoods site was synonymous with jobs, opportunity and enterprise. We now have the chance to write a new chapter in that story and create a destination that brings together creativity, technology, innovation, skills and business growth.
“Most importantly, this is about creating opportunities for people. We want local residents to benefit from the jobs, careers, training and businesses that can grow from this investment.
“There is still work to do and further funding to secure, but this Government backing gives us real momentum and brings us significantly closer to delivering our vision for the Liverpool Creative Campus.”
