The council is set to bring forward thousands of square feet of available workspace for creative, cultural, and digital businesses, while taking the first steps towards the long-term regeneration of the New England House site through a future public-private partnership.
As part of the Asset Strategy being considered by Cabinet on 16 July, more than 30,000 square feet of vacant workspace at Phoenix House and Lyndean House is set to be marketed from August, providing opportunities for businesses affected by the closure of New England House and supporting the continued growth of the city’s creative economy.
The council is also proposing to begin work on a development brief for the regeneration of the wider New England area. This would allow the council to seek development partners capable of delivering new employment space, housing and wider regeneration benefits while protecting the area’s role as a hub for enterprise and innovation.
Councillor Jacob Taylor, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and City Regeneration, said: "Brighton & Hove’s creative, cultural and digital sectors are a vital part of our city’s identity and economy – accounting for one in five of our businesses and growing.
“By promoting the available space at Phoenix House and Lyndean House to established creative organisations first, we can support these businesses now and then unlock access to freelancers, individual artists and their networks.
"While I understand the significant part New England House has played in many local creative businesses, the reality is that a council-funded rebuild or retrofit is likely to involve too much financial risk for taxpayers. Instead, we are pursuing a pragmatic approach to the long-term redevelopment of the site that will support jobs, protect public money and enable regeneration of the wider area that creates new employment space and homes in the future."
Councillor David McGregor, Cabinet Member for Economy, Culture, Heritage and Tourism, said: “Brighton & Hove’s creative sector is one of the things that make our city so special, but we know artists, makers, designers, small manufacturers and growing creative businesses are facing real pressure when it comes to finding suitable workspace.
“This is about the council directly intervening to support our creative economy. By opening up council-owned space at Phoenix House and Lyndean House, we can help businesses and creatives stay in the city, grow here, and create new opportunities for the next generation of creative talent.
“We are determined to make sure Brighton & Hove remains a place where creativity is not just celebrated but properly supported. That means using the assets we have as a council to back the people and businesses who help drive our economy, shape our culture and give our city its edge.”
We're working with art organisations, institutions and communities to ensure the city remains a place where artists can thrive and visual art is accessible to all.
A new regional vision has been published, to support and grow the creative industries in the Greater Brighton and Coastal West Sussex region.
A report into the lessons learned from the fire safety issues at New England House is being discussed at next week’s Audit & Standards Committee meeting.