A landmark plan to transform Liverpool's iconic Littlewoods building into a major film and TV studio may require a "cocktail of funding", including potential borrowing by the city council, to finally get off the ground. Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has suggested this multi-source approach is key to bridging the project's financial viability gap.
Decades of Delay for an Iconic Site
For decades, the art-deco remains of the Littlewoods building have stood vacant on Edge Lane, a prominent gateway to Liverpool city centre. Built in 1938 as the headquarters for John Moores' Littlewoods football pools business, the site once employed thousands and at its peak had 16 million weekly players. The Pools Company operated there until November 1994, when the advent of the National Lottery significantly reduced its customer base.
The long-stalled regeneration project took a significant step forward when, in December 2023, work began to convert the site into a £70 million TV and film studio complex. Planning permission for the construction was granted in October 2024, and remediation work has already taken place. The full scheme, which includes two new 20,000 square foot studio stages as the first new structures, was originally earmarked for completion in 2027.
A Multi-Source Financial Solution
The critical hurdle remains financing. Developer Capital&Centric (C&C) stated last summer that the cost of delivery "in the current climate exceeds the value of the completed development." In response, talks are scheduled with the UK government in February to seek support in bridging this gap.
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside, expressed confidence but outlined a need for a broader financial strategy. "We perhaps need to look at how we can get a cocktail of funding, including some government support, but that might include ourselves and Liverpool Council having to borrow to see whether we can get this," he said. He argued the project would be a "win win," generating business rates for the council and taxation from employment for the Treasury.
High-Level Talks and Next Steps
Liverpool Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, confirmed that discussions are ongoing at the highest levels of government to secure ministerial backing. The revelation follows news from August that Capital&Centric was in funding discussions with the government.
The proposed complex would occupy a site divided into three sections: the original east and west wings, separated by a 1960s addition known as the Hangar. The project represents one of the most significant regeneration opportunities in the Liverpool City Region, aiming to create a new hub for the creative industries in the North West.
While the original opening date for new wings was set for 2026, the focus is now squarely on assembling the financial package needed to propel the long-awaited scheme into its main construction phase, finally bringing the historic Littlewoods site back to life.
