Modular workspace entrepreneur CRATE Places UK has launched a new creative business and community hub in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, on 29 June, bringing 32 new businesses to the area.
Situated on a former council-owned car park on St James Street and built from pre-assembled shipping containers, CRATE St James was delivered in five months in partnership with Waltham Forest Council from planning approval to completion.
Essex-based CRATE was chosen as the preferred partner to build, finance and manage the temporary modular business space for five years, with the council maintaining ownership of the land.
The hub comprises a mix of food businesses, retail and private workspaces with communal areas open to the public, including a roof terrace, with around 75% of the tenants coming from the borough.
Simon Miller, Waltham Forest’s cabinet member for economic growth and housing delivery, said:
“CRATE is a fabulous addition to an area already buzzing with creativity. The success of transforming this underused site in such a short space of time shows how focused we are on delivery at Waltham Forest and an integral part of that is choosing the right partners who share our vision.
“In providing space for small businesses to grow and fantastic amenities for new and existing residents to enjoy, CRATE is a great success story. Development needs to be planned carefully. It needs to be the right site at the right time with the right partner and CRATE shows that if you get these things right, regeneration can benefit the entire community.”
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