The future of New England House will not include space for the creative businesses which have previously flourished there, the council has announced.
In a press release published this morning strewn with opaque management-speak, the council announced it was “unlocking creative workspace” by renting out Phoenix House in West Street and Lyndean House in Queens Road from August.
These buildings were bought by the council for £6.8 million in 2019 and £5.6 million in January 2020 – shortly before the pandemic led to demand for city centre offices plummeting.
The council says more than 30,000 square feet of vacant workspace will be advertised.
However, details of the private partnership for the regeneration of the “New England area” will not be published until later today, meaning journalists cannot yet report the fuller context.
The press release says the papers – which will go before cabinet next Thursday – will outline the council’s asset strategy.
It says the council is also starting work on a development brief for the regeneration of the area around New England House – but does not say whether this involves knocking down the block or refurbishing it.
Instead, it says the brief “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.”
It quotes deputy council leader Jacob Taylor: “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.”
Let’s face it; they earmarked this for sale and redevelopment as housing many years ago. There is no need to sugarcoat this open secret as we all understand the fragile economic situation that many years of bad decisions, planning and underinvestment have produced.
New England House is beyond saving and the authority doesn’t have the financial muscle to knock it down never mind redevelop it, ergo it is another asset that must be stripped, sorry realised for investment elsewhere.