Crewe town centre building set to be extended to house new technology campus
Part of a Crewe town centre building looks set to be extended to house a new technology campus - aimed at supporting start-up businesses.
Crewe's Municipal Buildings looks set to be extended to house start-up businesses as Cheshire East progresses its plan for a Technical and Digital Innovation Centre.
The Technology and Digital Innovation Campus (TADIC) is part of the Future High Streets Fund programme to revitalise Crewe and is funded in full by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
It aims to provide a flexible workspace and co-working offer in the town focussed on supporting start-up and growing companies, especially in the fast growing digital and creative sectors.
The historic Municipal Buildings fronting Earle Street is not part of the proposal and will be retained for civic use, including the registrar function.
The matter will be considered by the economic and growth committee on Tuesday.
Committee chair Cllr Nick Mannion (Macclesfield, Labour), told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week: "It will save the council money and it will also meet a need for small start-up businesses providing office accommodation."
A report to next week's meeting from programme manager Dan Griffiths says the original concept considered the potential of using both the Chancel at Christ Church and the Municipal Buildings extension for the project,
Detailed assessments determined the only financially and operationally viable approach is to use the Municipal Buildings extension only.
In the report, Mr Griffiths said: "The council's return from TADIC is expected to be higher over 10 years compared to a counterfactual sale, from reduced operational costs, rental income, and profit share once the centre becomes profitable.
"This is also more than renting the space ourselves, once assumed refurbishment costs have been included."
He adds the scheme will create good quality employment in the town centre, increasing footfall and expenditure for other retail and hospitality businesses.
"It will be operated by a specialist workspace operator to manage the space and services provided to create a highly visible focal point for innovative SME growth – and support provision – in the town centre," states the report.
"A demand assessment has been completed which suggests that there is a lack of provision of this type of office space in Crewe and evidence of demand locally.
"The market assessment suggests that this type of space, when brought forward, has been filled quickly, especially when it offers an attractive proposition to local businesses."
The report recommends that the committee approves the appropriation of the Municipal Buildings extension for the delivery of the TADIC project.
Council staff affected by the scheme will be consulted regarding the proposals and their relocation.
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