The developers behind the £70m Littlewoods project have signed a deal with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Liverpool City Council to kick start the project.
The new agreement enables a contractor to be appointed for the first stage of the project, with remediation of the site expected to complete by the end of 2023.
The combined authority has approved £8m of funding for remediation, design and planning of the Littlewoods Building - which has lain derelict for years - as part of a total funding package of £17m.
Steve Rotheram, metro mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: 'Our area has become a magnet for film and TV productions from around the world in recent years – making us the UK’s most filmed location outside of London. But I want to take our region to the next level, to stake our claim as the ‘Hollywood of the North’.
'The £17m we’re investing into both Littlewoods and The Depot will be central in turning that ambition into a reality – helping us to cater for every stage of the production process and creating new jobs and training opportunities for local people. I can’t wait to see work start on the project.'
The new Littlewoods Studios complex will support up to 3,650 jobs and result in an annual boost of £199m (GVA) to the local economy, according to economic experts Ekosgen.
