A NEW primetime TV series will be filmed in the North-East after it got the go ahead today (Tuesday, January 6).

The ITV drama, called Beowulf, is based on the Scandinavian legend and is being lined up for Saturday night viewing.

The show will be filmed in the former Eastgate Quarry site in Weardale after planning permission was granted for the land to be used as film set for five years.

The series will consist of 13 one hour episodes, filmed in County Durham and Northumberland from March, with hopes to air the first season in January 2016.

Figures compiled by Northern Film and Media, the North East’s media and creative development agency, suggest the production could bring a local spend of around £25,000 per day to accommodate and feed the cast and crew.

A statement from applicant, ITV Beowulf, said: “We would expect there to be a large boost to the region’s tourism figures once the show has aired on national television.

“The public often like to visit places they have seen on screen and shows such as Vera and Inspector George Gently have proved this over the past few years.

“There are also potential benefits in connection with education. We understand that Beowulf is being studied as part of the curriculum in many Durham schools this year and we would hope that links could be forged between the production and schools to benefit the students.”

The substantial film set will include a Mead Hall, twenty houses, a forge, mining walkways and jetties.

Professional film carpenters and painters will start building the set this month and up to 30 employees will work on the site, which will be complimented by an off-site studio set of the interior of the Mead Hall.

ITV added: “We plan to make use of as many local businesses as we can. We have already made contact with the local quarries, timber yards, builder’s yards and plant hire companies and we will work with them accordingly.”

Durham County Council’s planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the application.

Principal planning officer Claire Teasdale said: “This is an unusual application but we don’t consider it to be an inappropriate one.”

County councillor David Boyes added: “It’s a beautiful part of the country that will be shown on a major network, it will bring more jobs for local people and will be great for the area once it is established.”