The Innovation Centre

This new facility will provide purpose-built accommodation for entrepreneurial businesses, as well as bringing new modern office accommodation to Workington, something currently lacking in the town.

It will also complement another Workington Town Deal project, the Digital Accelerator Hub, which opened at Lakes College in 2023. It is prioritising skills and employability to strengthen a new generation of digital expertise.

Background

£12.4 million of Town Deal money, with additional funding from Cumberland Council, is bringing this project to life.

Construction work is due to start on the Innovation Centre in 2024 and the building is expected to open in early 2026. Morgan Sindall Construction is the main contractor.

The Innovation Centre will be located on part of the Central Car Park in Workington town centre and will, primarily, be aimed at digital technology and advanced manufacturing businesses. The aim is to attract start-ups who are ripe for incubation, as well as small businesses ready for growth. Expert help will be available to help them achieve their ambitions.

This four-storey building will be clad in attractive metal panels with windows providing plenty of natural light, without losing energy efficiency. Air source heat pumps will be installed, while solar panels on the roof will help meet the building’s electricity needs. 

The building’s interior will be flexible so it can be reconfigured to meet the needs of the tenants. There will be both private and informal meeting rooms, conference spaces, and catering facilities for building users and events. Sustainability is key so business owners and their employees will be encouraged to use greener methods of transport – secure cycle storage will be installed, as will shower facilities. 

Thinking long term, the aim is that the Innovation Centre will contribute to the growth and retention of SMEs within Workington and West Cumbria, as well as generate an uplift in innovation activity throughout the area.

In relation to expert assistance, the Centre will provide tailored innovation and entrepreneurship support. Oxford Innovation Space has been identified as the preferred operator of the new Workington centre. The organisation manages a number of similar facilities across the UK, working with local authorities, universities, science parks and investors.

Proposed new Innovation Centre building

An artist’s impression of the new Innovation Centre building, set among pedestrian walkways and landscaping.

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