Hampshire: Key developments get green light at Solent Enterprise Zone

Hampshire County Council has awarded Mildren Construction contracts to deliver two key elements of the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus. The development of a 25,000 sq ft industrial unit and construction of a new 1.15 km access road will further transform the Enterprise Zone into a location of choice for advanced manufacturing and technology companies.

Councillor Seán Woodward, executive member for Economy, Transport and Environment at Hampshire County Council, and leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “The appropriate infrastructure within, to, and from the Enterprise Zone will help attract investment, support the growth of local businesses and create new jobs for residents across Hampshire. I am delighted that Hampshire County Council is arranging and managing the delivery on the ground of these important infrastructure projects to significantly enhance the attraction of enterprise zone, on behalf of all the partners.

“The Solent Enterprise Zone is a prime business location with access to a skilled workforce, a dedicated engineering training college on site, and an operational airfield – all brought together to make  the Solent Enterprise Zone an excellent location for advanced engineering and marine businesses.”

Construction of the speculative 25,000 sq ft unit at Daedalus East will provide high-quality industrial space and is due to be completed in the summer of 2016. This £2 million project is being financed by the Government’s Growing Places Fund, through the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, which supports key infrastructure projects designed to create jobs and unlock economic growth.

The site comes equipped with an operational airfield and is home to Fareham College’s Centre of Excellence for Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Technology (CEMAST) and Fareham Innovation Centre, which provides office space, workshops facilities and business support to small and medium sized companies.

The new 1.15 km access road will provide access to the Waterfront, which will start from the Broom Way junction at the east of the site. This £7m scheme is being funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government as the latest phase of £38m that has been invested by DCLG and the Homes and Communities Agency, over the past four years, to support the wider redevelopment of the area.

Chris Wingham, managing director of Mildren Construction, said: “These are two key projects in the exciting programme to regenerate Daedalus which follows on from our current infrastructure works on the Daedalus East site. We will work with Hampshire County Council and Solent LEP to generate significant community involvement through the construction phase with local suppliers and sub-contractors all benefiting from the works.”