A new arts and community centre, café and studio workspaces will be created as part of the refurbishment of Walworth Town Hall in London.
The Grade 2 listed building, which was home to Newington Library and Cuming Museum until it became unusable following a fire in 2013, will include flexible studio and co-working spaces for start-ups and small businesses, and its restoration will be funded by developers.
Southwark Council, which has approved the plans, hopes the project will attract creative workers and increase footfall in the area. Cllr Stephanie Cryan said: “We recognised that maintaining public accessibility was among the local community’s top priorities, and so these plans ensure a significant amount of the building, including the new café, can still be accessed by all."