Planning Park's next phase

Visitors to South Wilts Business Expo at the end of last month were able to hear all about the latest developments at Solstice Park, the £250m 160-acre business park off the A303 at Amesbury.

The main developments are in the 20-acre office and 11-acre roadside and leisure sectors.

Tanya Smith of Holiday Inn explained that the park's 103-bedroom hotel, which includes a restaurant and conference facilities, will open in February.

She said: "It will be Neolithic chic, very boutiquey, very contemporary and modern, appealing to a techno-savvy clientele. The bedrooms will have flat screen TVs and internet access".

"The restaurant, for which we have a Masterchef of Great Britain, will seat 200 people. "We have tried to mix the modern needs of business and leisure travellers with the ancient heritage of Stonehenge".

She added: "We are currently looking for staff".

Planning consent has been obtained for a small-medium sized office complex known as The Crescent, comprising 66,000 square feet on a 2.55-acre site, and for Aurora, 66, 330 square feet over two linked buildings.

Simon Kingsley of Alder King, joint agents with Myddelton and Major, said two buildings at The Crescent were currently under construction, comprising 12,000 square feet.

He added that a number of units at the Beacon Centre in the industrial & distribution zone, which offers industrial, office and hi-tech uses, were under offer.

"We are planning the next phase, which will offer small units of 1,000 square feet and, for companies with a large staff, we will do bespoke buildings".

"There has been a big expansion in demand for buying rather than letting because of lower interest rates and the tax advantages of buying through pension funds".

Development director David Fahie said he was pleased with developments at Solstice Park. He added: "We have a team of national standing that is making this project go forward".

From the Salisbury Journal
Date of issue: 12th October 2006