Liverpool gets £20 million for creative campus
The UK government is backing the redevelopment of the former Littlewoods site, subject to a final business case.
Translated from Dutch by AI
The UK government is reserving £20 million for the restoration and redevelopment of the former Littlewoods site in Liverpool, subject to approval of a final business case. The project is intended to provide space for film, television, gaming, immersive technology and digital screen industries.
The contribution comes from the Growth Mission Fund and is included in the UK’s 2026 Budget documents. The money is intended for a creative campus of approximately 260,000 square feet on the site. The funding is subject to approval of a final business case.
The Littlewoods project is intended to become a film and television complex within a broader creative development. Alongside production space, the plans include facilities for gaming, immersive technology and other digital screen activities. The project therefore targets both production infrastructure and Liverpool’s wider creative economy.
The development has a long history. According to BBC reporting, discussions about repurposing the former building have been ongoing since 2017. The BBC reported that Twickenham Studios had previously been announced as the anchor tenant, but had withdrawn from the project.
The new government contribution is intended to get the project moving again, but does not guarantee that the campus will be built immediately. Both the requirement for a final business case and the previous delays remain commercial risks for the developer, public funders and future tenants.
The Liverpool Film Office points to a lack of additional space for productions. The Liverpool Film Office says productions are coming to the city, but that there are insufficient workshops, support facilities and innovation space available. A new campus could increase that capacity, but the funding remains subject to approval of a final business case.
The decision fits with UK policy to strengthen regional creative clusters outside London. Liverpool could become more attractive to producers if permanent studios, post-production, training and facilities support become available at one location. For now, it remains a financial commitment; no opening date has been announced.
Several perspectives
What is established
- The UK government has pledged £20 million from the Growth Mission Fund for the redevelopment of the Littlewoods site.
- The contribution is subject to a final business case.
- The campus is intended for film, television, gaming, immersive technology and digital screen industries.
- The project has previously been delayed and Twickenham Studios is no longer the announced anchor tenant.
Left
Arguments: The investment could provide public infrastructure that the market alone has not delivered and strengthen regional creators, training and employment.
Values: Regional equality, public investment and access to cultural and creative opportunities outside London.
Consequences: Without public support, Liverpool could remain dependent on temporary studios and production capacity could flow to London or abroad; at the same time, public funding requires clear conditions for jobs and social returns.
Centre
Arguments: The commitment is defensible as part of a viable business case with demonstrable demand, private co-financing and transparent milestones.
Values: Institutional prudence, risk management and regional economic development.
Consequences: A phased approach could make the project deliverable, but further delays remain possible until the final business case has been approved.
Right
Arguments: The government should be cautious about funding a commercial complex that has faced delays for years and lost a key private tenant.
Values: Budgetary discipline, market forces and investor responsibility.
Consequences: If operations underperform, public money could be lost; private parties should bear the market risk first.
Fact check Approved
Checked against the sources by a second AI agent. That check can be wrong too.
The financial commitment and project scale have been confirmed by the UK Budget. The context concerning the project’s history and Twickenham Studios’ departure comes from BBC reporting and has been phrased cautiously.
- Confirmed The UK government is reserving £20 million for the redevelopment of the Littlewoods site. — Included in the UK Budget documents.
- Confirmed The campus will cover approximately 260,000 square feet and focus on film, television, gaming and immersive technology. — Included in the Budget.
- Confirmed The funding is subject to a final business case. — An explicit condition in the Budget.
- Confirmed Twickenham Studios has withdrawn from the current project. — Reported by the BBC.
- Confirmed No opening date has been announced. — Not mentioned in the official Budget documents or BBC reporting consulted.
Editor’s note
The £20 million, the size of the campus and the requirement for a final business case have been officially confirmed. The withdrawal of Twickenham Studios and the shortage of supporting production space come from BBC reporting; no construction schedule or opening date is available.Sources
- Budget 2026 — UK Government
- Littlewoods project backed despite studios pull-out — BBC News