Five hundred local jobs are set to be created in Kingston over the next 10 years by a new riverside hub at an under-used space on the riverside.

Kingston Council signed a landmark agreement to lease the basement and part of the ground floor from the riverside John Lewis store on Friday.

This will be turned into an affordable workspace and creative hub for young people in the borough and is due to open in 2022.

It will see the John Lewis Undercroft area, currently closed to the public, finally opened up.

The Undercroft contains part of the Old Kingston Bridge before it collapsed and had to be rebuilt by Wood Street in the 1880s.

The area plus part of the John Lewis ground floor will soon be transformed into co-working spaces, workstations, a cafe and performance and event space for the public to enjoy.

The news comes as the Council plans further work on regenerating Kingston riverside with plans including a fountain, colourful decorations and a living wall.

Cllr John Sweeney, Portfolio Holder for Business and Leisure at Kingston Council, said: "This agreement triggers the creation of two amazing Kingston Riverfront spaces in a section of a building closed to the public for decades.

"Town Square have the experience to provide a thriving flexible workspace - and a hub for entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation in the heart of Kingston.

"Importantly, they also offer support to local people looking to take their first steps in starting a business.

"Creative Youth, already a fabulous Kingston institution, will undoubtedly bring excitement and fun to the Undercroft and the surrounding area.

"This will be an important destination for the young and young at heart. Looking forward to this area of the river coming back to life.""

Talking enthusiastically about the partnership, Mandy Weston, COO at TownSq, said: "When people from different businesses and industries are working alongside each other, there can be a complementarity of ideas, and that can lead to some incredible collaborations.

"When you create the environment for individuals and businesses to grow, that ripples out to the benefit of the wider community and the local economy. We can't wait to get started."

Alongside the flexible workspace, there will be a creative performance space which will be used and managed by local youth arts charity Creative Youth.

Louise Coles, Chief Executive of Creative Youth, said: "Creative Youth has long dreamed of having a creative playground in Kingston for our young people to develop their potential and talents.

"Now that dream is becoming a reality.

"We are excited that this project will, at the same time, animate a space along Kingston's riverside and contribute to a wider public realm regeneration programme which will benefit the whole community."