Dundee’s burgeoning creative sector has been boosted by the opening of a new business district which could house scores of companies and hundreds of workers in used shipping containers.
The first unit in the futuristic District 10 project, in former railway yards at Seabraes, has been created from 37 of the distinctly unglamorous steel boxes.
It comprises 15 offices suitable for small businesses and start-ups.
With another eight units on the drawing board, a new creative and digital quarter of the city is set to be created as demand ramps up.
The cutting-edge space, created at a cost of £1.7 million thanks to funding from Scottish Enterprise, the European Regional Development Fund, charity Matthew Trust and the Scottish Government, is designed to be low-cost and flexible, but also boasts excellent environmental credentials under the BREEAM assessment scheme.
“I think the marker is when you’resitting next to people on the train and you hear them say ‘What the Hell is that?’ that’s when you know you’ve got quite a special design,” Scottish Enterprise’s Mick McHugh said of the “highly innovative and highly distinctive” building at Monday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
It is expected District 10 willeventually house companies employing a total of 500 people and contribute about £10m to Scotland’s economy each year.Photo gallery: District 10 offices officially openedThe creative and digital industries will likely be a particular area of focus forlettings.
With one tenant already in situ and a further three expected to move in soon, Mr McHugh said he was “optimistic”construction of the next building in the nine-strong development would not be far away.
“What we’re looking for is that the volume is there and theinterest is there,” SE’s location director for Tayside said.“And I suppose that’s all part of the economy’s recovery, too.
“But because we’re working closely with partners, there’s a lot of marketintelligence we can work with.
“It’s about that intelligence it’scertainly not that this unit needs to be fully let before we build another.”
Seabraes had been “zoned” for adigital media park for some time, and is a key part of major regeneration works on thewaterfront. Sites alongside have already been earmarked for housing, too.
City development director MikeGalloway said District 10 would improve on existing commercial property options.
When fully developed, it is expected that start-ups and smaller firms will use District 10 as a stepping stone before moving to larger spaces elsewhere in the city.
“We have some traditional spaces within the city, but not a huge amount,” he said.“And for a small company that doesn’t have the capital or resources behind them, that can be a big ask.
“These are really high-quality spaces, which we expect will attract the type of digital and creative companies we want to attract and allow a space for them to set up in.”
Dundee architecture company aimand quantity surveyor Christie andPartners worked on the project, withconstruction carried out by Livingston-based Maxi. Colliers International ishandling lettings.
The pop-up Boxpark ShoppingCentre in London, which hosts big brands and specialist stores alongside cafes andrestaurants, is one of the mostsuccessful examples of the shippingcontainer concept.