HARTLEPOOL
Overview – a CGI of the Hartlepool Screen Industries Production Village and Northern Studios.
VILLAGE VISION
New Production Village will bolster town’ s film and culture boom
Strides are being taken to bolster Hartlepool’ s position as a film and culture capital of the north through an exciting new production village. A government funding boost via the region’ s new Tees Valley Investment Zone will help the Northern Studios, in Lynn Street, to expand – creating more than 130 new jobs and bringing flexible spaces and support services to the burgeoning screen industry thriving in the heart of Hartlepool town centre.
It’ s all part of the Screen Industries Production Village project – led by Hartlepool Borough Council’ s £ 18.5m backing and supported by an eight-figure investment from the Levelling Up fund.
This will develop the town as a centre for film and TV production, creating hundreds of new jobs and giving more opportunities for local talent to thrive, find a route into the industry, thrive and stay in the region.
The Tees Valley was selected as the location for an Investment Zone in 2023 – and has now been allocated the first £ 80m as part of an overall £ 160m investment from the government.
The zone will increase inward investment, productivity and jobs in digital, creative and technology sectors while supporting the growth of world-leading companies in two cluster areas of Middlesbrough and Hartlepool.
Working with North East Screen( NES), the region’ s screen agency, Northern Studios in Hartlepool opened in 2022 supported by funding from the Tees Valley mayor and the Tees Valley Combined Authority, in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council.
It is the only large-scale film and TV studio facility in the North-East and recent productions filmed at the studios include feature films, Sky true crime documentaries and ITV drama and comedy productions, as well as it being used as a unit base for productions filming on location in Hartlepool.
BBC Comedy’ s Smoggie Queens, ITV drama I Fought the Law and ITV comedy
Transaction are just a few of the recent productions created with the help of the facility.
But there has been rising demand on the studios – and improvements have been lined up to provide vital pre- and postproduction spaces, as well as enhancements to the road network around the area.
The vision is also bringing nine buildings back into use to play a key role in the Production Village – and converting unused space to create flexible workshops for the Northern Studios.
Meanwhile, the Northern Studios base is ideally placed next to the Northern School of Art, which provides training and education courses for the creative industries.
The vision all ties into Hartlepool Development Corporation’ s plans to work with the council to create an integrated and expanded centre for Hartlepool’ s education and creative industries.
This includes providing quality space for independent businesses, visitors and residents, anchored around excellent connections to the marina and station.
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