A RAFT of start-up firms have signed up to harness the services of Peterborough's prestigious new "green" nursery.

Three enterprises are to be virtual users of the unique Eco Innovation Centre, in Peterscourt, City Road, which was officially opened on Thursday.

It means the companies will make use of the centre's hot desks, advice and telephone answering services but will also retain their bases around the city.

The new firms include Green Passion Creative, heat pump operator Cool Planet and sustainable cleaning solutions company Green Clean.

Others that are looking at moving in include one that is helping to drive the production of electric run cars.

Ever since it became apparent that Peterborough was home to a unique cluster of 340 environment-based businesses, there has been a desperate effort to tap into the rich resource to ensure its fulfils its full potential for the people of the city.

That striving culminated with the opening of the £300,000 plus Eco Innovation Centre, which will act as a safe haven for start-up "green" businesses.

At the moment, the centre is home to the UK Centre for Economic and Environmental Development (UK CEED) and the Centre for Sustainable Engineering.

But centre manager Guy Eames said he was speaking to a number of companies that were keen to set up in the centre, including Norwich-based Renewables East.

The centre was officially opened at a celebration attended by about 60 leaders of Peterborough's business community, the city council and a number of agencies.

The Eco Innovation Centre is the first physical project to be completed in the ambitious £1 billion regeneration of Peterborough, which will see large swathes of the city revamped and the creation of thousands of jobs and homes over the next decade.

It is also hoped the centre will pave the way for the construction of the Green Quarter. This will be a hub of environmental-based businesses and sited around the Peterborough railway station. It will be focused on the cluster of environmental firms already operating in Peterborough and could help the city secure the accolade of UK Environment Capital.

While the centre will offer a vital springboard for new firms, it is the intention that these companies will grow, move out to larger sites in Peterborough and employ many more people in high skilled jobs.

It is hoped the centre will help create hundreds of jobs over the next five years.

The centre will nurture the new enterprises and help them grow in a supportive environment that will provide not just the usual administrative functions of a managed workspace but one that will also act as a focal point for everything environmental.

It will end the sense of isolation for many entrepreneurs who are working alone.

On hand will be other business owners with the same ideals and goals who will be able to share information and ideas.