[SalesForce] sfdx force:project:create throwing ERROR running force:project:create: Unexpected end of JSON input while parsing near ”

I'm noticing an issue with sfdx force:project:create –projectname projectname. This is throwing me an error as ERROR running force:project:create: Unexpected end of JSON input while parsing near ''

on enabling –dev-debug this is what I see

`*** Internal Diagnostic ***

JSONError: Unexpected end of JSON input while parsing near ''
    at module.exports (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/read-pkg/node_modules/parse-json/index.js:29:21)
    at Object.apply (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/client/7.65.2-0f0403b8cc/node_modules/@salesforce/lazy-require/lib/LazyLoader.js:173:36)
    at Proxy.module.exports.sync.options (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/read-pkg/index.js:34:15)
    at Proxy.module.exports.sync.options (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/read-pkg-up/index.js:27:16)
    at ProjectGenerator.rootGeneratorName (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/salesforcedx-templates/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:601:27)
    at ProjectGenerator._getStorage (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/salesforcedx-templates/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:621:29)
    at new Generator (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/salesforcedx-templates/node_modules/yeoman-generator/lib/index.js:148:24)
    at Object.construct (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/client/7.65.2-0f0403b8cc/node_modules/@salesforce/lazy-require/lib/LazyLoader.js:186:36)
    at new ProjectGenerator (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/salesforcedx-templates/lib/generators/projectGenerator.js:40:9)
    at Environment.instantiate (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/yeoman-environment/lib/environment.js:661:23)
Outer stack:
    at Function.wrap (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/salesforcedx-templates/node_modules/@salesforce/command/node_modules/@salesforce/core/lib/sfdxError.js:151:27)
    at Project.catch (/Users/localname/.local/share/sfdx/node_modules/salesforcedx-templates/node_modules/@salesforce/command/lib/sfdxCommand.js:255:67)
******`

sfdx version is sfdx-cli/7.65.2-0f0403b8cc darwin-x64 node-v10.21.0.

Any suggestions? Thanks for your help
Cheers
Sree