Chichester District Council plans to explore the possibility of building a £6m Enterprise Centre in the city to nurture new businesses.
The situation was discussed during a meeting of the cabinet on Tuesday (January 6), where members recommended that the Corporate Plan for 2026-2030 be approved by the full council.
Some £50,000 has already been approved to carry out a feasibility study into whether or not the project would be viable.
Adrian Moss, leader of the council, said the money would only be released if that proved to be the case. If not, the money would be made available for other projects.
Mr Moss added: “We have land in Chichester that is ready to take a new business hub but we need to make sure this is viable and will actually enhance the employment opportunities and business opportunities for this local community.”
A report to the cabinet said that the current Enterprise Centre, in Terminus Road, was ‘performing well’, with an average annual occupancy rate of around 80 per cent over the past five years.
It has generated some £2.8million for the council over the course of a 10-year agreement, which ends in February 2028, as well as bringing in around £300,000 in profit share.
Whatever happens, the current centre will stay open.
Mr Moss said: “There are many parts of the country where there are innovation hubs that actually bring new businesses together – that gives them the opportunity to significantly grow. We don’t have that in Chichester at the moment.”
Describing the current Enterprise Centre as a ‘really valuable place for small businesses’, he added: “What we’re looking at is can we develop an innovation centre that will nurture new talent – supported by the University, by the college, and other significant businesses – to actually bring new business to our district that will enhance employment.”
The council owns sites in the east and west of the city which are earmarked for employment land.
The feasibility study will be carried out shortly. Should the project be deemed viable, the council expects to move on to the construction and delivery phase by the end of 2026/27.
The estimated income from a new Enterprise Centre is projected to be £343,000 to £353,400 per year – around a 6 per cent return on the council’s investment.
The other large-scale project included in the Corporate Plan was £561,000 for improvements to the White Pavilion, in Priory Park.
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