Business park to open in city

Hundreds of jobs will be created as Merlin Park industrial business park is opened in the city.

Construction is nearing completion on seven new units at Merlin Park, which will become the only new high-specification business accommodation on Portsea Island when the site opens for business next month.

The £10m project will create the city's largest speculative industrial development in a decade and brings a large brownfield site back into commercial use.

The site was regenerated by Canmoor Developments, with Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) and CBRE acting as joint agents for the park.

Guy Jackson from LSH said: '˜Units of this size and quality are a rarity across the south and particularly in Portsmouth, where there is a desperate need for new stock to meet demand.

'˜Due to the strength of that demand, the accessible location of Merlin Park and the high quality of this development, we experienced significant levels of interest in these units even as they were coming out of the ground.

'˜We are excited to see the units so close to completion and are in discussions with several potential occupiers ahead of the site being handed over in August.'

The units available will also range in size, from 8,000 to 20,000sq ft.

Tom Hughes, director at Canmoor Developments, said: '˜Merlin Park is a major speculative development that represents a huge investment in Portsmouth, and confidence in its economy.

'˜Merlin Park will bring major employment and economic benefits to Portsmouth, and we are proud to have played our part in the continuing drive for regeneration in the city.'