WORK is underway to demolish and rebuild a business park in Viables.

Builders have started work knocking down Viables Business Park to create a new 11.3-acre site which will be known as St. Modwen Park.

The existing site is owned by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and leased to ITT Inc, a global manufacturing firm.

It is expected the new business park will be finished by the end of September and will create 250 new jobs for the area, according to St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics company.

The new units will provide a mixture of offices and secured service yards. The Gazette has asked which businesses are set to move in.

The company hopes the site's location near the M3 will be attractive to logistics firms.

David McGougan, senior development manager at St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics, said: “We’re pleased to be underway with demolition works, illustrating our clear intention to transform this site and deliver an industry-leading employment scheme for Basingstoke. Despite the uncertainty around the pandemic, we remain on course to deliver three high-quality, speculative industrial units and two retail amenity pods in Q3 of 2021 and look forward to bringing leading industrial and logistics occupiers to the area next year.”

Ravi Patel, director of European shared services at ITT Inc, said: “It’s great to see demolition works already underway on the old buildings and that St. Modwen is on track to deliver a complete transformation of this site. We’re very much aligned with the developer’s ambition to create a well renowned employment hub here in Basingstoke and look forward to working together on this project as we begin to bring the development to market.”

Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Property at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Cllr John Izett, said: “I am delighted that work for the redevelopment of this site is now underway and this marks a big step in St. Modwen’s plans to transform this site into a new logistics park, creating 250 high-quality local jobs once complete."

“Despite the uncertainty that businesses face during the pandemic, it has been great to see St. Modwen progress its plans and demonstrate its commitment by investing in Basingstoke. This project is a great example of how the public and private sector can work together to create innovative solutions to deliver high-quality accommodation that businesses require.

“As the UK economy looks ahead to recovery, I am confident about Basingstoke’s credentials as an attractive business location now and for the future.”

For more information, visit: https://stmodwenlogistics.co.uk/property/st-modwen-park-basingstoke.