Ipswich Borough Council £875,000 creative hub plans in town hall take major step forward

Plans for a new £875,000 creative hub in a town hall have taken a major step forward.

On Tuesday, members of Ipswich's executive discussed entering into an agreement with a tenant to unlock a £875,000 grant to deliver a new creative hub within the town hall.

The space, which was previously used by the council's customer service centre, would be home for start-up and established IT, tech and digital creativity businesses, with a focus on screen, media and gaming.

The money is meant to be split into two pots, with £750,000 to be spent on fit-out costs and £125,000 earmarked for professional fees and project management.

Officers revealed the fit-out costs would be used mainly for alterations to the building to ensure it was up to scratch, with some of it to be used to buy equipment.

Addressing Cllr Ian Fisher's question on whether there was an empty building within the town centre which would not require the money to be spent on works, officers confirmed the town hall space was the most fitting.

The tenant for the building was not revealed as councillors discussed further details in closed session, but has been described as a well-respected company operating similar hubs elsewhere in the country.

Members agreed to enter into an agreement ahead of a final decision during next week's full council meeting.

If approved then, the hub could open as soon as September.