Council agrees lease in support of development at Basingstoke business park

A major commercial site on one of Basingstoke’s business parks is set to get a new lease of life and create hundreds of new jobs after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council agreed a deal with a developer to provide 188,000 sq ft of new industrial and warehousing units.

At a Cabinet meeting this week (17th December), councillors decided to grant a new 150-year lease for site 3 at Viables Business Park in Jays Close to St Modwen to redevelop the 11-acre site.

St Modwen is working with the current owner of the building, American manufacturing company ITT Industries Limited, as part of a joint venture agreement to redevelop the site.

The existing buildings were built in the 1980s and redevelopment is required to the site to attract other occupiers.

Subject to a planning application, which has now been submitted, being approved, plans for the site include three new large warehouses and two small retail pods following the demolition of the existing buildings.

As part of the deal, the council will own one of the new logistics warehouses and retain an overall ground lease for the site, protecting the income the council receives from the site in rents and business rates.

The deal is also expected to create up to 200 new permanent jobs.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property Cllr John Izett said: “The council is committed to attracting new companies and securing significant new investment to create high quality jobs for our residents.

“I am pleased we have been able to secure a deal to redevelop this major site, following lengthy negotiations, to ensure it provides the modern premises that companies now expect.”