£1m Innovation Studios launched to meet Medway’ s growing business landscape

Entrepreneurs, start ups and burgeoning micro-firms are set to flourish in new pioneering £1million business space at Strood Waterfront.

Customised shipping containers have been used to create Medway Council’ s new Innovation Studios Strood at Watermill Wharf, offering small and medium sized companies a sustainable, robust and affordable premises solution.

The demand for enterprise space locally is growing, with the economy worth around £4.8billion and more than 17,460 businesses calling Medway home. The area’ s target growth rate is twice the national average and as per Medway’ s Local Plan, 17,000 jobs are set to be created by 2035. 2015 GVA (gross value added) figures show a 5% growth on the 2014 level, which is more than the south east and UK growth of 3.2% and 2.6% over the same period.

With business clearly booming in Medway, it’ s important the area can meet the needs of the expanding business landscape.

Medway Council’ s Innovation Studios Strood comprises 15 office spaces and 18 storage units which has been created using a kit of moveable and reusable parts based on shipping containers. Almost £1 million has been invested in the project with £600,000 of the build cost secured via the Coastal Communities Fund.

The build, which started in February 2017 with the basic units assembled in just two days, was managed by CargoTek which specialises in shipping container buildings, and QED Sustainable Urban Developments was responsible for the detailed design.

The development, located on a previously under used piece of land on the banks of the River Medway, is part of the council’ s ambitious 20-year programme to regenerate Medway as a whole and make Watermill Wharf a hub for entrepreneurs.

The Innovation Studios Strood is the second project in Medway’ s growing ‘ innovation business series’ . The Innovation Centre Medway (ICM) based at Rochester Airport opened in 2009 and has been a roaring success, fuelling the council’ s vision to make Medway an even more desirable place to do business, with excellent connections to the capital and continent.

Companies based at the new premises will benefit from the business support services provided at ICM, such as meeting rooms, networking events and training opportunities.

With 13 of the 15 Innovation Studio Strood units already reserved, there’ s an appetite from the council to get going on its next business hub.

Medway Council’ s Portfolio Holder for Planning, Economic Growth and Regulation Cllr Jane Chitty said: “We are very excited to be officially launching the Innovation Studios Strood, and I’ m delighted that almost all of the pods have already been snapped up.

“Medway is fast becoming an even more desirable place for businesses to set up and operate from, so it’ s not surprising that these new units have been filled so quickly. With quality high speed internet and being just three minutes from Strood Station, there’ s a lot going for these inventive new premises.

“We opted to go with the unusual shipping container style build because they compliment the site’ s industrial heritage, could be delivered quickly and are cost efficient. The units, which also incorporate storage, are an innovative way of providing office space for businesses.

They are in an ideal location with views of the river, near a railway station and town centre, and walking distance from historical Rochester. The development has been designed very well and looks really attractive – perhaps not what you’ d expect when you think of shipping containers usually.”

Ross Gilbert, Managing Director, QED Sustainable Urban Developments, said: “Medway is the South East’ s largest urban area outside London, with growing demand for office space. As part of its ongoing work to regenerate the waterfront areas, Medway Council has continually embraced pioneering approaches to creating sustainable enterprise spaces for the benefit of local businesses and the economy.

“For Innovation Studios Strood we were able to work with Medway Council to bring vacant brownfield land on the waterfront back into productivity to deliver a sustainable, robust, and affordable development to help meet the growing demand for enterprise space.”

Businesses interested in finding out more about the Innovation Studios Strood should call Innovation Centre Manager Farley Norman on 01634 887282.