A MAJOR business space is set to be launched in Whitehaven’s new bus station development.

The £8.2m project has seen the former bus station redeveloped into a business space, complete with a restaurant and other amenities.

And it has now been revealed that the development will be home to Barclays’s first Eagle Labs business incubator space in Cumbria, providing start-ups and entrepreneurs with a mixture of co-working, office and meeting space.

A “makerspace” for rapid prototyping, with equipment including laser cutters, 3D printers and electronics stations, will also be available.

The Eagle Lab will also offer members the opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, local organisations, universities, industry bodies and potential clients and investors across the country, to help them build their networks and grow.

Additionally, to boost the digital transformation of Whitehaven and surrounding area, Barclays Digital Eagles will offer free digital education and training to people of all ages, ensuring anyone who needs support to build digital confidence and stay safe online has the help they need.

The Bus Station development is being delivered by BEC, with funding from Sellafield Ltd through the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, with the collaborative approach supporting the NDA group’s strategy to drive long-term economic growth for local communities.

Martin Chown, chief executive at Sellafield Ltd, said: “We are proud to have invested £5.7m in the Bus Station development to bring this building into reality.

“The Eagle Lab is a cornerstone of our work to help diversify and grow the local economy, and this success can act as a template for communities around the country.

“This is an incredibly exciting development, representing years of work, and it really demonstrates an enormous vote of confidence in West Cumbria.”

Jon Hope, director of Barclays Eagle Labs, is also “really excited” to be partnering with BEC and Sellafield, and hopes to provide digital training to support the area.

The Bus Station

is set to open on May 25, and businesses can now apply to be residents at the Eagle Lab at labs.uk.barclays.