The two new sound stages are expected to be up and running in a year.

The green light has flashed on the development of the iconic former Littlewoods building in Liverpool as a major film and TV studio.

Liverpool City Council’s Planning Committee approved the plans by social-impact developers Capital&Centric, to restore and repurpose the Art Deco edifice and council-owned site into a production campus that will house two new 20,000 sq ft studios, along with offices, workshops, studio support facilities and an education facility.

The company has just completed the enabling works and securing planning is the next major milestone for the project. Subject to the next tranche of funding being agreed, the go-ahead from the council will kick start the main works.

The planned new sound stages will take around a year to be built and become operational. The programme for repurposing the existing building is longer due to the added complexity of dealing with existing structures. Capital&Centric is working with Liverpool City Council as freeholder of the site and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as project funders. The Combined Authority, led by Mayor Steve Rotheram, has committed up to £17m to the project.

It is anticipated that the Littlewoods Project will bring around 4,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the region’s creative sector.

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John Moffat, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “This is a huge moment for Littlewoods and for the city as we now have the green light to deliver the Hollywood of the North. Liverpool already has a reputation as a world-class filming destination.

“The Littlewoods Project will take it to the next level, providing much-needed indoor studio space and support facilities. You can’t underestimate what this means for local people – me among them – not only seeing this iconic building brought back to life, but bolstering the city’s creative credentials and creating jobs and careers for generations. It’s the moment everyone’s been waiting for.”

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, added: “The transformation of the Littlewoods building into a world-class, cross-sector film, TV and creative campus is a game-changer for the Liverpool City Region. It’s a testament to our growing reputation as a centre for creativity and innovation.

“This project not only preserves a cherished part of our heritage but will also drive economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and cement our place on the international stage as a destination for high-end productions.

“It’s fantastic to see our vision for the ‘Hollywood of the North’ take another step towards becoming a reality, and we’re proud to support this iconic development with a £17m investment.”