2016-07-12 Planning & Environment Committee Agenda

PLANNING & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                      12 JULY 2016




                     Figure 1 –Proposed layout of the Rufous Street Precinct
Digital Hub
The digital hub is proposed within a 2 storey building with different uses between the upper and
lower floors.
    Lower Floor
The lower floors will consist of co-work spaces with shared facilities and services, meeting
rooms, and event spaces. The applicant’s intention is to develop a digital hub which will foster
innovative local IT businesses and at the same time help overcome the digital divide. The work
spaces will provide low cost work spaces on a permanent, casual, or regular term basis. This
provides individuals and/or small start-ups a business space at an affordable rate with networking
and mentoring opportunities.
The lower floor of the new building also includes a library kiosk, gallery and access to the training
and presentation rooms for education courses, and/or library presentations. The training and
presentation room is proposed to be used by the applicant and Industry.
    Upper Floor
The intention of the larger office space on the upper floor is for commercial leases to established
IT enterprises which can incubate and provide mentorship within the hub. The concept is for the
growth start-ups to have larger offices to migrate to rather than moving out of the Shire into larger
premises.
Café/restaurant/office
A small separate building is located slightly west of the main digital hub building. Public amenities
and a small food and beverage outlet or office space are located within this building.
Existing Community House
The existing Community House will be maintained for community use as part of stage 1. As part
of stage 2 the community house will be extended by 115m² and used as part of the digital hub.




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