Bridgwater residents wishing to start their own business will soon have access to new, low-cost facilities in the town centre to help them on their way.

The town has secured money from a government fund and has been awarded £22.6M for a series of projects designed to reinvigorate the town centre.

The detailed business cases for several of these projects have already been submitted to the government for final approval – including the appointment of towns wardens and a £9M scheme to help deliver the Celebration Mile between the Northgate docks and the town’s railway station.

Sedgemoor District Council has now agreed the details of the latest project within the town deal, which will see £700,000 spent on creating a flexible workspace in the town centre to give potential business owners a chance to test their ideas.

The proposals were discussed in detail by the council’s executive committee when it met in Bridgwater on Wednesday morning (July 6).

The project – which has been christened ‘Step-Up Bridgwater’ – would see the council purchase a vacant office building on Angel Crescent, near the Angel Place shopping centre.

The ground floor of the building would be remodelled to provide “flexible co-worker space”, while the first and second floors would be left as serviced offices.

The facility is designed to provide “an accessible and affordable business enterprise space in the heart of the town centre”, allowing potential business-owners to test their ideas out with the general public with minimal risk.

A number of ‘pop-up’ units will also be provided as part of the promotion of the Celebration Mile within the wider town deal, with targeted advice and support being providers to businesses using the space.

In the longer term, the site will become part of the growing network of Somerset enterprise centres, which are currently managed by Somerset County Council – of which the latest is presently under construction in Chard.

Nathaniel Lucas, the council’s service manager for economic development, stated in his written report: “Although there are small office suites available to rent in Bridgwater, many of these are largely full and there is no flexible co-worker space available in the town centre.

“The county council currently manages nine enterprise centres across Somerset, the nearest being the Energy Innovation Centre located at Woodlands Business Park off the A38.

“Indeed, all the Somerset enterprise centres are located on out-of-town business parks, with many combining small industrial space alongside the provision of individual small office suites, such as at Highbridge.

“Bridgwater Step-Up is intended to provide a unique town centre location, providing small businesses with a prestige address and identity, and helping to diversify the town centre offer and attraction.”

Councillor Mark Healey said the project would enhance the council’s own regeneration work on the Northgate Yard site on Mount Street.

The council has committed millions of pounds to deliver a new seven-screen cinema, gym, bowling alley and restaurants, with the new buildings and the improvements to the nearby Brewery Field expected to be finished by October.

Mr Healey said: “The project leads onto supporting the Northgate Yard project, so they all compliment each other. What we’re handing over to the new unitary authority is a history of success.

“Here is another project that is coming to fruition. We’re bringing more people into Bridgwater and the long-term benefits are marvellous.”

The project will cost £700,000 to bring to fruition – of which £500,000 will be sourced from the town deal funding, with the council putting up the remainder from its own capital programme.

Council leader Duncan McGinty said: “Anything we can do to increase local people’s ability to increase their income can only be a benefit.”

The business case for the Step-Up Bridgwater project will now be submitted to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), which will have up to three months to give final approval.