NEW offices and workshops for start-up businesses in St Ives came a step closer this week when land allocated for the building of a St Ives Enterprise Centre was officially handed over to contractors. Huntingdonshire District Council, which owns the site

NEW offices and workshops for start-up businesses in St Ives came a step closer this week when land allocated for the building of a St Ives Enterprise Centre was officially handed over to contractors.

Huntingdonshire District Council, which owns the site of the former council depot in Caxton Road and has developed the plans for the site, passed the keys to building company Graham Construction.

Once complete, which should be in the autumn, the site will become home to eight commercial workspaces and six offices, aimed at helping to provide accommodation for start-up businesses.

HDC says it will embrace the council's environment strategy by improving waste and energy efficiency with the use of renewable energy resources. Among the environmental features are: a 40 per cent reduction in carbon emissions below the building regulation standards; use of rain water for toilet flushing; climate control, natural daylight and ventilation; use of low energy lighting, inside and out; a green sedum roof, made up from a collection of living shrubs. Rainwater can be retained by the roofing material, reducing the load on the drainage system and providing water for flushing. It will also provide a safe habitat for insects and birds.

Councillor Andrew Hansard, whose executive responsibilities include estates, said: "This scheme will create new employment opportunities in St Ives, and we expect the units to be popular given their location and proximity to the guided bus. This scheme also gives us a great opportunity to incorporate some state-of-the-art environmental features which we hope will be particularly attractive to tenants."

The scheme is part-funded by Cambridgeshire County Council.