Firms can't wait to move into Enterprise Centre

STAFF have started moving into an £8 million business centre in Derby which aims to boost the city's economy and nurture up-and-coming companies.

The University of Derby's Enterprise Centre, in Bridge Street, is not due to officially open until September, but organisations have already started to take over the state-of-the-art building.

Once it is fully functional, the centre will house fledgling firms and business support organisations.

The building includes conferencing rooms, training suites, offices, a dining area, cafe and an "innovation zone" for start-up businesses.

The innovation zone will follow a similar pattern set by other university-run business incubation centres, which nurture new firms during their first few years.

The university's Banks Mill site, also in Bridge Street, the ID Centre, in London Road, and Network House, in Nuns Street, are already home to a diverse range of up-and-coming firms.

And among the business support organisations at the centre will be University of Derby Corporate.

The new centre will also house online training package specialists Innovation 4 Learning and the Conference Office, both part of the university's Business Development Unit.

Derbyshire Business School's training courses will also be run from it.

Andrew Hartley, the university's commercial director, said: "The enterprise centre brings together all of the university's business offering under one roof.

"This centre is a statement of intent that the university is open for business."

Dawn Whitemore, head of University of Derby Corporate, said: "The centre is not just for the university, it is for the whole of Derby's business community."

Funding has come from Derby City Partnership, the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the university itself. It has been built on the former site of Jackson's Mill – a series of industrial workshops.

Planning permission was granted by Derby City Council in December 2008.

The development has also been built to high environmental standards. Contractor Vinci Construction UK built the centre to Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method standards.

This is an independent assessment method which examines a building's environmental impact, from construction through to later management of its energy, transport, water and waste needs.

Mr Hartley said: "The Enterprise Centre was conceived about five years ago. A lot has happened in the economy since then.

"Today, at a time when many companies are looking to innovate, create new opportunities and retrain staff, this type of development is more relevant than ever.

"I hope it will give Derby the edge over other cities."