Community Plus Inc, a community development organisation and registered charity, has outgrown its Market St premises.

It wants to establish a learning hub, innovative co-working space for students and workers who would normally commute, and run courses for start-up businesses. The proposal is dubbed @workspace 2580.

But for now the plan, pegged for Council’s building at 56 Clinton St, is delayed by a rescission motion to be debated at the September 6 council meeting.

If approved, the Council would be a partner in the initiative, providing free rent in the first year and offsetting it in the second until the Hub becomes viable. It would foot maintenance bills but Community Plus would pay operating costs.

Community Plus chairman Dr Ursula Stephens is confident the facility will become viable, given the “exponential growth” of existing courses. She says the 880 square metre space offers many possibilities.

“We have spoken to registered training organisations and universities over two years and worked very hard to make this a reality,” she said.

“...The option for Clinton St fitted our requirements perfectly.”

Plans for high-speed internet will cater for a range of users. 

These include education and training organisations, higher education providers, public sector tele-workers, community projects and organisations, the Goulburn and District Chamber of Commerce, Business Enterprise Centre, outreach services and visiting business services.

A 40 cohort work space will be established, complete with computers, among the rabbit warren of rooms.

Partnerships with universities would also ensure diversity. The University of Canberra wants to teach its Masters degree in Social Entrepreneurship. 

Council general manager Warwick Bennett said the area had also attracted increasing interest from the film industry. However it had been hampered by the lack of access to high-speed internet. 

The smart hub is not underpinned by public funds, only community ones, and will operate on a charitable basis with money channeled back into operations.

“It’s a huge community investment in our town and people have been very supportive,” Dr Stephens said.