Plans for a new Creative Enterprise Centre in Winchester
Winchester City Council is proposing to transform a former industrial site at Barfield Close into a Creative Enterprise Centre.
Following the departure of TJ Waste to bigger premises in recent weeks, Winchester City Council is developing proposals for alternative uses of the site which was formerly a railway Goods Shed. Working in close collaboration with local universities and creative industries, the Council is designing workspace that is tailor-made to meet the needs of graduates, business start-ups and other creative organisations.
The ambition is to restore the character of the 19th century building, and create studio units within it for use by local artists and creative businesses. An additional warehouse-style structure would be built at the back of the site to provide space for workshops and rehearsals by a range of performing arts organisations, students and community groups.
An existing industrial building adjoining the Goods Shed would also be refurbished and extended to house the Council’s Drainage and Streetcare Team, who are currently based at the old depot on Bar End Road.
The project would improve the attractiveness of the outdoor space on the site and provide an interesting new feature for this part of the city.
Plans are still in development and are yet to be formally agreed by the Council, but local residents and businesses have already been contacted and consultation events will be held early next year to provide the opportunity to comment on designs for the site.
Cllr James Byrnes, Winchester City Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Local Economy, said:
We have been waiting for the right space for this project for a number of years, and this charismatic railway building provides the perfect opportunity.
Winchester’s creative industries are thriving, fuelled by our two universities and a vibrant cultural scene. This new centre will be at the heart of the sector, celebrating the diverse and exciting offer that is ‘made in Winchester’.