A FUNDING bid has been made to turn Colchester’s Old Police Station into a centre for creative businesses.

Plans by Colchester Council to turn the former TPs bar into a Creative Business Centre stalled after an application for European Union funding was unsuccessful.

The authority had already bought the building, secured planning permission for a redevelopment and secured some funding, with Firstsite arts centre, from the Arts Council.

Now Essex County Council has stepped in to try and secure more funding for the project through a bid via the South East local enterprise partnership.

Kevin Bentley, county councillor responsible for economic growth, said: “The Colchester Creative Business Centre is a great opportunity to support one of our key economic sectors.

“We are also exploring other funding options and look forward to progressing the project in the near future.”

The Old Police Station is temporarily occupied by Slack Space, pending meetings over its financial future.