A second business incubation hub has officially opened in Rotherham.
Rotherham Council has invested £5.4 million to create 20 new workshops, 16 offices and two laboratories at Century 2 Business Park.
Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr Denise Lelliott said: “Our investment will create more better paid jobs and increase spending in the local economy as a result.
“We’re building on the existing success story at Manvers by creating a new vibrant workspace where more entrepreneurs and small businesses can get the support they need to grow. These are exciting times for small businesses who can tap into the specialist expertise offered by Rotherham Council.”
Micro and start-up businesses will benefit from the serviced spaces now available at Rotherham Council’s fifth business hub.
The neighbouring Century Business Park has supported over 400 businesses since it was set up 22 years ago.
Century 2 will feature a central reception and lettable conference facilities for large meetings and functions. Externally, the site will include car parking, cycle storage and electric car charging points.
A fabric first approach has been taken towards creating a more sustainable building and renewable heating will be incorporated within the office spaces via air source heat pumps.
The site is located just off the A6195, with links to M1 and A1. It will be managed by the Council’s Rotherham Investment and Development Office (RiDO), which manages similar facilities across the borough.
Esh Construction was appointed to deliver the scheme as design and build contractor on behalf of Rotherham Council.
Esh’s Operations Manager, Andrew Schofield, said: “This development will provide an important facility for local businesses to operate and grow from, therefore we are pleased to celebrate the official opening.
“Throughout our time on site we delivered a number of social value initiatives within the local community, including careers and employability workshops for young people in nearby schools and colleges, site visits for college students, and apprentice training on site.
“We collaborated with the Better Learners Better Workers programme and RNN Group’s Dearne Valley College to deliver tailored, meaningful engagement within the area.”
