Wantage: Plans to expand Grove Business Park given the green-light

Plans to expand Grove Business Park near Wantage have been given the green-light in a move which is set to bring hundreds of new jobs to the area. 220,000 sq ft of business space will be developed, and work is due to start immediately on the more than 20 business space units which will be built speculatively. Many old buildings have already been demolished to make way for what will be new state-of-the art premises.

David Williams, partner at Bidwells who are agents for the Park, said: “It is not overstating to say that the hundreds, if not thousands, of new jobs which will be created on the park will secure the future economic growth of the Wantage area.”

Tim Parr, of Parker Parr who are joint agents, added: “Grove Business Park already has a rich and diverse mix of over 60 businesses ranging from start-ups to large manufacturing companies, and it is a very viable option for a company to relocate to.”

The new owners, Grove Business Park, bought the site just under a year ago, and have already refurbished and let 10,000 sq ft of grade-A office space to high-quality IT and biotech companies.

Work is also under way on the multi-million-pound refurbishment of Boston House Business Centre which is  one of the units at the Park. This will create a five-star fully-served office facility on short-term easy-in, easy-out licences. The centre is due to complete in April 2017 and when finished will provide an innovative work-space for 280 workers.

The owners are in discussions with a professional national nursery operator which could open an 80-place nursery and crèche on site.

Julie Acock, senior associate in the commercial property team at Oxford law firm Royds Withy King which acts for Grove Business Park, said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the Park as it looks to increase its size and attract high-quality technology and life-sciences companies to the area.”