A NEW £1 million enterprise centre is to be built in St Neots to promote business and encourage job creation in creative industries. Huntingdonshire District Council and its partners have gained £700,000 funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minist

A NEW £1 million enterprise centre is to be built in St Neots to promote business and encourage job creation in creative industries.

Huntingdonshire District Council and its partners have gained £700,000 funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to build the centre on the Longsands College campus, next to Huntingdonshire Regional College's wing in St Neots. HDC has also allocated £300,000 to the project.

The centre will have units for small businesses and work space. Support will be offered to new and growing businesses. With funding agreed, HDC and Longsands College will now work up plans for the new facility.

The centre will have close links with the college, which has specialist status for media technology, English and information communication and technology and also with the regional college's St Neots site, which is regarded as a centre of excellence for both manufacturing and management, and has respected photography and design faculties.

Rob Whatmough, principal of Longsands College, said: "The centre will offer an exciting opportunity for collaboration between education and business."

Councillor Andrew Hansard, responsible for resources and policy on HDC's cabinet, added: "This project will help the growth of creative industries in Huntingdonshire.