DEMOLITION works on a retail park in Basingstoke could take up to 11 weeks to complete, according to the land owner.

As previously reported, work to knock down the Brighton Hill Retail Park in order to create two large warehouse buildings began on Wednesday, September 25.

Miles Willshire, managing director of Fairthorn Consultancy, which owns the land the retail park is on, told the Gazette that the work will take 11 weeks to complete.

He said: "Demolition began today, September 25, and will take about 11 weeks.

READ MORE: PHOTOS: End of an era - Demolition work begins on retail park

'It will start with Toys R Us, working backwards from there''It will start with Toys R Us, working backwards from there' (Image: Newsquest)

"It will start with Toys R Us, working backwards from there."

He explained that after several delays, he is pleased that work is now underway.

He said: "We're delighted now the council have finally, after two years of back and forth, granted us permission and are very keen to get cracking."

Equation Properties Limited hopes to create 400 permanent jobs by developing Brighton Hill Retail Park, building several warehouse units on the brownfield site.

BGO Baronet Propco Limited sought permission from Basingstoke and Deane Retail Park to regenerate Brighton Hill Retail Park and construct two new buildings.

On Monday, August 12, the company were given approval to go ahead with the scheme which could create nearly 400 new jobs.

The new buildings can be used for ‘general industrial’ and ‘storage and distribution’, but it is expected that they will be divided into seven different units of various sizes.

Within the council’s decision report, it said: “Unit 100, the larger of the two terraces, is situated to the south of the site with HGV parking and servicing areas for each unit located adjacent to the northern elevation.

“Unit 200, the smaller of the two terraces, is located to the north of the site, with HGV parking and servicing associated with each unit of the 3no. units adjacent to the southern elevation. This arrangement allows for all parking and servicing to be located in the centre of the site.”