WORK GETS UNDERWAY ON NEW BUSINESS STARTER UNITS
Small business starter units that support the growth of new and embryonic enterprises will soon be available for local entrepreneurs to rent.
The project, a joint initiative between Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council, will support the development of new and small businesses in the District. The units will act as a stepping stone, giving developing businesses access to their first commercial base and providing a platform that will allow companies grow.
The new business starter units are being funded entirely by Mid Sussex District Council, which is putting in £1.33 million and West Sussex County Council, which is contributing £600,000. West Sussex County Council Leader Cllr Louise Goldsmith joined Cllr Gary Marsh, Mid Sussex District Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Property to mark the start of the building work with a ground breaking ceremony at the Bridge Road site in Haywards Heath on Friday 21 November.
“It’s exciting to see construction work starting because these new business starter units could unlock a great deal of untapped potential in the local economy,” said Councillor Gary Marsh, Deputy Leader of Mid Sussex District Council and Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Property. “We have so much talent locally and this will provide them with a leg up to that first rung on the business ladder. These starter units will provide a boost for local businesses and help to secure a prosperous long-term future for the Mid Sussex economy.”
Councillor Louise Goldsmith, Leader of West Sussex County Council said: “It’s a key priority for us as a County Council to support and grow our economy, which is why I was delighted to be part of the ground breaking ceremony on Friday. Local people wanting to set up a new business or who need help in continuing to run their young business now have somewhere on their doorstep that can offer excellent support. We are proud to be involved in taking this initiative forward and working with our partners to help add value to the local economy. This facility will help to give start-ups a great chance of making a success of it.”
The new offices and workshops will be equipped with the latest technology to ensure that each unit is ready for local businesses to move in. Aimed at making it easy for small businesses to access the scheme, companies will have self-contained business premises but will share reception, photocopying and meeting facilities. This set-up allows local businesses to keep running costs low and provides excellent opportunities for networking and business development.
The business centre will be managed by Basepoint, a company which specialises in the development and operation of managed business innovation and enterprise centres, and providing accommodation and support infrastructure packages to new and early-stage companies. Basepoint is a well-established name in Sussex.
Karen Osborne, Regional Manager for Basepoint Shoreham, said: “We look forward to working on this project and providing a modern office solution to small and medium sized enterprises in partnership with Mid Sussex District Council and West Sussex County Council. It’s great to be part of an initiative to help young businesses and entrepreneurs, something which we strongly support. We encourage interested business owners to get in touch for more information.”
The building work is scheduled to run until late spring next year and the facilities will be formally opened in May 2015. For more information about the new business starter units email [email protected]