Investing in affordable workspace and local business community

The latest statistics (2021) indicate that Lewisham has the fifth lowest workspace footprint in London and lowest in southeast. But this is set to change.

In September 2023, the Council launched a transformative workspace grant programme which encouraged local businesses to improve or create spaces that would either help their business, generate new enterprise opportunities for the borough and attract people to work locally. 

The grants were split into three streams: Empty Property Grants, Creative Enterprise Zone of Deptford and New Cross small studios and Strategic Workspace Grants.

The grant programme ended in February 2024 with 39 successful applicants with many of the spaces either complete and or close to being in action. 

Impact of the programme

Alongside the local businesses, we were able to turn 40 sites into 71,000 square feet of thriving workspaces - equal to 3 cricket pitches worth of commercial space. Proudly, over 100 jobs have been safeguarded with 25 new ones in creation. 

A mix of businesses across the borough within office, retail, hospitality, creative and other industry sectors have all been supported. Thirty-four per cent of the businesses we supported identify as BAME-owned (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) and forty-six per cent as female-owned.

Last week, a celebration of the successful grant programme with grant recipients was held with an event and workspace tour at V22 Communities’ House on the Hill. 

Visit SHAPESLewisham's Space Finder directory to locate affordable, shared and or creative workspaces in the borough. 

Cllr Kim Powell, Cabinet Member for Business, Jobs and Skills said:

“This grant programme has unlocked opportunities in Lewisham that will leave a positive mark on our local economy and communities for generations to come.

“We recognise many small, independent, and high street businesses have had a lot to deal with in recent years, so we are proud that this programme meant many can focus on taking their business to the next level rather than closing their doors.

“We know that by activating these spaces, investing in high streets and supporting these communities attracts many more people to work locally - which has endless benefits for the borough.

Lewisham Council utilised the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation for the affordable workspace grant programme.