High-tech business park planned

3:42pm Friday 18th April 2008

Up to 850 jobs could be created in Grove if a new business park is built near the village. Developers are eyeing up a patch of farmland, near Bellingers Garage, between the A338 Station Road and Letcombe Brook.

The multi-million-pound plan could see a clutch of high-tech businesses related to the Williams F1 racing team move to the area.

Andy Pywell, of Pegasus Planning Group, which is working for developer Rey Construction, said: "The site will be attractive to a range of both high-tech and service sector businesses and will help compensate for the overall loss in employment opportunities in the last 10 years."

The site would provide 17,000 square metres of office and light industrial work space. There are no plans for housing.

A full size sports pitch, training pitch and changing facilities are also listed in the plans.

Developers Rey Construction said a high proportion of the nearby working population is forced to commute to work by car.

The firm believes the development would boost the number of local jobs, cut down on carbon emissions and bring forward the proposed northern link road to connect the A338 with the Grove Airfield development.

Provision has also been made in the plans for the site to be linked to the new road.

The population of the village looks set to double over the next 13 years with 2,500 homes planned for the Airfield development.

Employers Williams F1 and Bellingers Garage are closest to the village with Milton Park, near Didcot, another major hub for jobs in light industrial and office work The developers have had an option on the land for several years and are due to submit an outline planning application to the Vale of White Horse District Council before the end of the month.

The development would take approximately three to five years to build if permission is granted.

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