More than £30 million is to be invested to create a new creative district in Woolwich, London.

Plans have been approved to transform a section of the historic Royal Arsenal riverfront site into a 16,500 sq m creative hub.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich Cabinet has agreed to invest £31m to bring a series of landmark buildings back into use for the project.

Features will include:

• a black box theatre seating up to 450

• an open-sided quadrangle courtyard for performance seating up to 600

• 10 rehearsal studios, which can also be used as informal performance spaces

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• public facilities, including a cafe and restaurant overlooking the River Thames

• artists' studios and offices for resident companies

Once completed, it is estimated the creative district will provide more than 400 local jobs, with new roles created during the construction process.

Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Cllr Denise Hyland said: "For almost 300 years, the Royal Arsenal was a major employer and the backbone of the local economy. These exciting plans place the site at the forefront of providing local jobs once more.

"Approximately one in six people in London work in the creative industries; this proposal will create new skills and wide ranging employment opportunities to open up these industries to residents and provide a massive boost to the local economy.

"This is an investment in the future of Woolwich and the future of the borough as a whole.

"The site's potential has long been identified in the London Plan, so rather than spend money on simply maintaining these amazing listed buildings, we want them to work for Woolwich in the same way the Greenwich Town Centre riverfront buildings draw people there."

(LM/MH)