Lewisham Council has received a £50,000 grant to help create space for artists who have been priced out of London.

Awarded to the council by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the money will be used to set up a so-called ‘Creative Enterprise Zone’ in New Cross and Deptford.

The idea behind the grants is because artists and other creative people have been displaced from London neighbourhoods by rising rents, increased property prices and the decline of affordable workplaces.

According to the London Assembly, the capital city is predicted to lose 30 per cent of affordable creative workspace by 2019.

Ten bids have been granted £50,000 and now each council has been tasked to use that money to research and formulate what their vision is to make affordable space for artists in their borough.

In Lewisham, over 15 organisations are backing the bid including Goldsmiths, Horniman Museum, and the Albany.

According to Lewisham Council, employment within the creative industries grew in the borough by 71 per cent over the last five years – twice as high as the London average of 34 per cent.

Lewisham Deputy Mayor Alan Smith said: “The Mayor of London’s decision to award £50,000 to Lewisham to develop our Creative Enterprise Zone bid for New Cross and Deptford is brilliant news.

“This will raise Lewisham’s profile across London and attract further investment, support the development of local businesses, and provide new jobs for our residents.”