AN innovative £1.1-million project to create a purpose-built arts and crafts centre in a remote Dartmoor community this week took an important step forward. Duchy Square Limited, the prime mover in the project to create the centre on the site of the old supermarket and empty Morwenna House building in Princetown, has now handed over the reins to Devon County Council. The council will take the lead role in applying for funds from the Objective 2 programme and the South West Regional Development Agency to enable it to be taken forward. Ross Greig, chairman of Duchy Square, said: ?This is a tremendous development, to have Devon County take on this responsibility. ?They have the support mechanisms to ensure the project will move forward quicker, once funding has been obtained, and we are very grateful for their support in this important area of the project management.? Mr Greig said he was hoping a decision would be made regarding funding for the project within the next three months. ?We would then be looking at starting to clear the site and start investigative work, then get the infrastructure up early in the new year, with a view to opening in March 2008.? The arts centre would provide 17 workspaces or workshops, a gallery and a dedicated teaching studio. The whole centre is being designed to be as adaptable as possible, depending on the needs of the various artists or tenants. ?We have already had quite a lot of interest from various different people,? said Mr Greig. ?The teaching studio will be the only dedicated teaching studio in the south west, apart from those in higher education establishments. ?And we?ve been told by other arts organisations that once the bricks and mortar are in place, we could be swamped by people wanting somewhere to showcase their work. ?There are 20,000 artists in the South West ? we are only looking for 17, so there could be a stampede!? Mr Greig said the centre would provide an ?excellent? facility for artists, which would also boost Princetown and the West Devon area and raise the profile for the arts. ?Some artists are happy for members of the public to come in and see them in their workshop, which will create an interaction between the public and the artists ? I think the whole thing is going to rollerball ? it?s exciting, it really is,? said Mr Greig. A spokesman for Devon County Council said: ?We recognise that this is a really important project for Princetown and the surrounding area and we are delighted to be able to support its implementation. Jo Rumble, of Dartmoor National Park Authority, said: ?We have been involved with this idea right from the very beginning, and our sustainabile development fund actually supported one of the initial studies into it, so we are very supportive of it and with the county council stepping in like this, it?s nice to see it really pulling ahead.? Ms Rumble said she thought the arts centre would make a ?world of difference? to Princetown.
