How many jobs council bosses believe will be created by Hartlepool's new screen production village

In January it was confirmed Hartlepool had been awarded £16.5m of Government Levelling Up money to regenerate the town centre with the project centred on “catalysing” the town’s fledgling screen industries sector.

The production village will be based around the Lynn Street and Whitby Street area – including the derelict Shades building – and look to build on the success of facilities such as the new state-of-the-art Northern Film and TV Studios.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited the studios less than 24 hours after the £16.5m injection was confirmed.

The latest meeting of Hartlepool Borough Council’s economic growth and regeneration committee heard the development is to provide “2,750 sq m of pre and post production space” offering numerous benefits for the town.

Council officers said this will include supporting 131 new full-time equivalent employment opportunities.

It is also estimated to deliver “2,600 additional visitors to those businesses around” Church Street and a £1.81million “net additional spend per annum from overnight and daytime expenditure”.

Paul Taylor, council strategic development and sustainability manager, said the Grade II listed former Shades building will be brought into “full use” by the scheme.

He added: “It’s very much about supporting job creation, productivity growth, and really enhancing the physical environment in that part of the town.”

Local authority officers added they hope to push forward with the project next month and have a delivery timeline in place by early May.