PLANS have been revealed to build a new creative business centre at the Broadway cinema, in Hockley.
The independent cinema has submitted plans to the city council to transform the lower ground floor at the back of the building, which leads on to Heathcote Street.
It hopes to create an open-plan centre that would give young people access to the latest creative technologies, with business support also on hand.
While it has not yet been decided what sort of technology would be installed if the plans are given the go-ahead, the Broadway's chief executive, Steve Mapp, said it was researching options from 3D printers to hi-tech knitting machines.
He said: "It's a place where ideas can be turned into new applications, products and services. It's trying to bring arts, technology, design and planning together in one space."
There would be an enterprise manager to help run the centre and external experts from different creative fields would be brought in to support artists.
The centre would benefit from the ultra-fast broadband that the Broadway already has in place.
Mr Mapp said: "It would create a focus for the new creative business economy and provide a space where young people can engage with people from the private sector, or higher education, in a non-formal education setting.
"The Government is interested in growth and we're all interested in funding new employment opportunities for young people.
"The creative industries have been recognised as one of the new emerging industries and opportunities for employment.
"We're providing a service that can connect globally with markets across the world, using new technology, and that's something Nottingham has a great strength in."
However, the plans still need to be approved by the city council – and depend on two separate funding streams, which have not yet been confirmed.
Currently, the space is being used for storage. But if the plans go ahead, the new business centre would have its own entrance on Heathcote Street.
The city council recently signed a "city deal" with the Government, which will bring £60 million investment into Nottingham.
It will create a "creative quarter" in the Lace Market and Hockley area, with a number of different schemes and grant funding made available for new creative businesses.
The Broadway's proposals are not directly related to this, although the media centre is seen as being at the core of the creative quarter.
