Centre gets £1m backing

A UNIQUE £1million enterprise centre to be built next to Longsands College in St Neots to promote the district s creative businesses is expected to get planning permission shortly. Huntingdonshire District Council and its partners have attracted a promis

A UNIQUE £1million enterprise centre to be built next to Longsands College in St Neots to promote the district's creative businesses is expected to get planning permission shortly.

Huntingdonshire District Council and its partners have attracted a promise of £700,000 funding from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister to help fund the new enterprise centre. The council has also allocated £300,000 to the project.

Cllr Andrew Hansard, executive member for resources and policy, said: "This is a very worthy project, which will help to fulfil the growth potential for creative industries in St Neots and Huntingdonshire, enabling the economic growth and jobs needed to support continuing housing growth."

The centre will have units available for small businesses and workspace that will allow people to "develop their creativity" and offer specialist business support to new and growing businesses.

The centre will have close links with the Longsands College and Huntingdonshire Regional College, and students from both will be able to use the centre along with any other interested groups or individuals.

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

The planning application is due to go before Huntingdonshire District Council's development control panel later this month.