The team behind much of Liverpool's Baltic Triangle's success has announced it's looking to expand its operations and open "at least" two new digital, creative and tech (DCT) neighbourhoods in Southport and the Fabric District.
As part of the Baltic Creative's 10-year anniversary, the firm that boasts a footprint of 118,000sq ft, and is home to over 180 businesses and 600 staff in the famous Baltic Triangle creative district, has announced a "significant change in direction".
It has said that as part of its growth ambitions, over the next three years, it is aiming to deliver at least two new spaces in Southport and the Fabric District.
The community interest company’s board of directors said they will also "explore opportunities" in North Liverpool, Bootle and Birkenhead, as well as invest in its existing footprint in the Baltic Triangle.
Describing the firm's decade in business as "game-changing", managing director of Baltic Creative CIC, Mark Lawler, said: “What has been achieved over the past 10 years is greater than what we originally thought possible and that is largely down to the dedication of our team and the instant support we received from the digital and creative community.
“There’s no doubt that there are challenges ahead, especially with the current political uncertainty that we’re facing.
"We will of course respond to this in the most appropriate manner, but our plans continue to be bold, and we are more passionate than ever about delivering Baltic Creative space across the region and in doing so, supporting one of the city’s most flourishing sectors.”
As a community interest company, Baltic Creative reinvests all its profits back into property, tenants or the sector.
It operates a strict lettings policy meaning that space in its buildings, which include Creative Campus, Northern Lights and the recently launched Digital House, is only occupied by creative and digital businesses.
The firm said that by doing this, not only does it keep office space affordable, well-managed and tailored to sector needs, it also encourages collaboration between like-minded, innovative businesses.
It added that its 2016 business plan was to grow its business footprint to 90,000sq ft by 2021 - a target it has already exceeded.
Fiona Armstrong-Gibb, the new chair of Baltic Creative CIC, said: “The digital and creative sector in the Liverpool City Region remains strong and is growing at a rate of 2.5 times faster than other sectors.
“We are still experiencing high levels of interest in our spaces and we have people on waiting lists, which is why we are so determined to grow.
“Looking ahead to 2024, we envision a region-wide family of creative spaces, places, and clusters that are interconnected and supportive of each other, but equally differentiated by their own personalities, drawing on the diversity of people, skills and industries that are the region’s strengths.”
Baltic Creative celebrated its anniversary last week with a party for partners, funders, business owners and tenants where its 2019 annual report was released, alongside a screening of its promotional film, ‘10 Years On’.
