The Gate

Church Converts to Creatives.
The NDC Gate Agency is leading on a new project that has attracted £3.5 M of London Development Agency funding to convert St James Church in New Cross Gate into a state of the art creative business incubator centre.

In April 2004 the London Development Agency (LDA) launched an initiative called Creative London. This project is a part of the wider group of projects the LDA is working on to address the priorities of the Greater London Authority’s Economic Development Strategy. This will crucially inform how London is directed and governed over the next 10 years. Creative London’s aim is to grow the creative sector in the capital which has an annual value of £21 billion and is predicted to generate 1 in 5 of all jobs over the next 10 years. One of the key mechanisms for achieving this goal will be by establishing 10 Creative Hubs throughout London. The New Cross incubator centre will be one of the first London pilots for the Mayors Economic Development Strategy.

The New Cross incubator centre will provide an environment that supports local start up businesses and helps to stimulate increased economic activity with a more diverse and sustainable base, particularly for disadvantaged groups. It will offer 24 hour access, board room and multi media facilities and free and specialised business support from legal advice to business planning and marketing.

The centre is scheduled to open in the summer of 2007 once the St James church building has undergone a complete refurbishment

For more information contact Jack Hiett – 020 7635 1312