Innovation Centre secures £2m funding

Plans to transform a derelict police station into a business hub have been awarded more than £2m in additional funding.

Work on the Innovation Centre in Redditch is scheduled to begin in the summer, with doors expected to open by the end of 2027.

The borough council said the project had secured £2,425,000 from the Enterprise Zone Regeneration Fund.

The fund is part of a £20m commitment from the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, made in 2014 to support the eight local authorities included in its area.

The Innovation Centre is expected to feature offices, laboratory and workshop spaces and other amenities, as well as business support services.

Sharon Harvey, the leader of Redditch Borough Council, said it offered local businesses an opportunity "to springboard their businesses to the next level in a supportive and collaborative environment".

"To have over £2m in confirmed funding is another exciting step on the path towards opening its doors," she added.

Deputy leader of Birmingham City Council Sharon Thompson, said: "This is really good news for businesses and residents in Redditch and the surrounding area.

"It demonstrates how Birmingham's growth and the success of the Enterprise Zone are driving wider economic opportunity right across the region."

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