Member Article

Support for Seaham film project

The creation of an international Centre for Creative Excellence at Seaham in County Durham has moved a step closer.

Easington District Council has granted planning permission for the project, the company behind the project said this week. Coolmore Estates said the centre would generate more than 2,400 jobs on site and more than 1,800 indirectly, resulting in a contribution of more than £52 million to the economy of Easington District. The proposed Centre will comprise a full-service media business park, an educational campus with student accommodation, two hotels and serviced apartments and an agricultural college.

However, owing to the regional significance of the project the plans now have to be approved by the Government Office for the North East, which could see the project receiving the final go ahead this summer.

Coolmore director Alistair Ross said: “I am very pleased with the outcome. Our proposal has been met with overwhelming support throughout the consultation process. “The council’s decision will enable the detailed implementation work to begin to ensure that the Centre for Creative Excellence will be a facility that will generate training, education and job opportunities for local people and make a significant contribution to the North East economy.”

Councillor Alan Napier, leader of District of Easington Council, said: “This is an exciting venture not only for the district but the region as a whole. It will not only put the spotlight on East Durham as a location for national and international film making, but most importantly, bring a significant level of investment to the area with the employment benefits to the area and beyond being considerable.”

The Centre for Creative Excellence would incorporate a full service media business park and light industrial workshops offering digitally supported production and post-production facilities which would service the feature film, television, advertising and other media-related industries.

There will also be facilities for national and regional educational institutions to provide training opportunities in film and television production, advertising and other media and entertainment industries.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .