A NEW business hub for Kendal is a step nearer after South Lakeland District Council confirmed its acquisition of an empty town centre office block.

The long-disused building - 124 Highgate - will now be transformed into 3,380 sq ft of modern office space for small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and micro-businesses.

Invest in South Lakeland, the inward investment and growth programme for the district, said the new offices - to be known as Kendal Enterprise Centre - would include training facilities, meeting areas and and multi-use zones.

There will also be an emphasis on collaborative working, shared spaces and places for informal networking.

The development, which is costing the Lib Dem controlled council £477,000, was objected to by Tory councillors, who claimed it was a waste of money in times of financial hardship.

But council leader Peter Thornton defended the plan as vital for job creation in the district.

As well as helping local firms access services, advice, training and high-quality business amenities to support their own commercial growth, the enterprise centre is also expected to support more than 25 jobs.

Refurbishment of the building, which formerly housed the Connexions careers service, is set to start next month and is due to be completed before the end of the year.

Invest in South Lakeland says it is already in talks with a number of possible tenants, as well as independent training organisations, local universities, business advisors and other partners who have expressed an interest in using the hub.

Joanne Golton, who leads the Invest in South Lakeland programme, said: “The Kendal Enterprise Centre project will bring back into use a prominent building on Kendal’s high street which has been vacant for many years and create a dynamic and contemporary business hub in the heart of the town centre.

“Our plans are a direct response to the increasing need for more high quality and flexible business accommodation within Kendal. Many micro-businesses and start-ups tell us they struggle to find appropriate office space in a central location, which is directly impacting on their potential for expansion.”