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£ 36m commitment for region ’ s TV and film industry
North-East local authorities are set to confirm a commitment that will secure a combined £ 36m boost for the region ’ s TV and film production industry .
Local authorities and combined authorities across the region – working together as the North East Screen Industries Partnership – are set to sign off an £ 11.4m investment that will pave the way for a new Screen Industries Development Programme in partnership with the BBC .
The five-year plan will see the region ’ s screen agency , Northern Film + Media – which will soon be rebranded NE Screen – scaled up to deliver increased activity , alongside a production development and support fund , with further opportunities to develop businesses and skills that the sector needs to thrive .
NE Screen will act as a strong single screen agency , working closely across the region as the ‘ front door ’ for industry of all shapes and sizes .
The investment from the authorities will unlock the BBC ’ s £ 25m pledge to the North-East , which was made in a regional Memorandum of Understanding ( MOU ) signed last September .
Councils in Durham , Gateshead , South Tyneside and Sunderland will sign off their commitments at cabinet meetings , with the North of Tyne Combined Authority approving the investment of Newcastle City , North Tyneside and Northumberland Councils .
The Tees Valley mayor and combined authority has allocated £ 4.75m of investment on behalf of the five authorities of Darlington , Hartlepool , Middlesbrough , Redcar and Cleveland and Stockton .
In a joint statement , they said : “ The North-East and Tees Valley is rich with creative talent , and we ’ re committed to maximising that – in partnership with the BBC – and creating more and better opportunities for our businesses and residents .
“ We believe this will be a catalyst for further investment from other screen industries and broadcasters , and will make the North-East a magnet destination for talented people who want to build a career .”
The commitment will help to attract more inward investment and create good-quality , well-paid jobs within the industry while developing , attracting , and retaining talent in the sector .
Nissan scoop prestigious award
A £ 1bn investment enabling Nissan and its partners to establish a world-leading electric vehicle supply chain in Sunderland has seen the firm scoop a major industry award .
The Japanese car maker has received a Green Hero Award from motoring website Electrifying . com in honour of its pioneering investment in zero emission vehicles and plans for sustainable electric vehicle manufacturing .
The honour recognises Nissan ’ s roadmap to carbon neutrality , its £ 1bn UK investment in sustainable EV production technologies ,
as well as the global success of its groundbreaking Sunderland-manufactured LEAF – the world ’ s first mass market electric vehicle when it was launched in 2010 .
How we can lead the way in sustainable construction
The North-East , like all parts of the UK , is undergoing a construction boom .
Cranes are dominating the skylines of our cities and industrial parks and new build housing estates are accelerating at a rate not witnessed since the post-war rebuild .
This has led to the UK ’ s construction industry constantly seeking new ways to boost productivity and output , and thankfully , the region ’ s history of innovation is today helping it lead the way in pioneering new Modern Methods of Construction ( MMC ).
From Corehaus , in Newton Aycliffe , developing innovative modular housing solutions to solve the housing crisis , to our state-of-the-art Apex Wiring Solutions factory on the outskirts of Durham , supplying wiring solutions to some of the world ’ s leading developers , the North-East is playing a key role in helping stimulate growth in the UK ’ s construction industry .
With cost increases and pandemic delays , everyone is looking at ways to increase their margins . We are constantly looking at productivity as a business , investing constantly in skills , waste reduction and we ’ re examining net-zero technology to reduce our environmental impact , and if our orderbooks are anything to go by , this seems to have really chimed with people across the industry .
The North-East has a rich heritage of innovation , from hydraulics to the light bulb and the railway , and now we ’ re forging a new reputation as a leader in construction , be it through modular housing , modular wiring or sustainable energy solutions .
As part of construction ’ s supply chain , we welcome the trend and are proud to be playing a key role in building a better future for the region . Paul Hopps Sales director , Apex Wiring Solutions
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