LOCAL artists may have affordable studio space in the centre of Brentwood as part of new plans to make a new creative hub.

If the plans go ahead a shop unit in the Baytree Centre would be developed to include around eight individual studios as well as a flexible exhibition, community and a workshop space.

At the Business and Town Centres Committee on Tuesday, members agreed to commission arts organisation and charity the Association for Cultural Advancement through Visual Art to carry out a feasibility study to look at local demand for the project from local artists, community organisations and local businesses.

The study will also look at the suitability of the unit for a temporary lease for a minimum of two years and create a financial and membership model for the studios.

A further report will come back to the Business and Town Centres Committee with the results and recommendations of the feasibility study.

The scheme will be in partnership with Essex County Council who have worked with ACAVA to open two similar studios in Hadleigh Old Fire Station and Gatehouse Arts in Harlow.

Councillor David Kendall, who chairs the committee, said: "I think this is a potentially very exciting opportunity for Brentwood. We are still in the very early stages of the scheme, but it would be fantastic to have a central place to celebrate the artists that we have locally and develop this as the creative heartbeat of the town."