A MULTI-MILLION pound planning package designed to create an enterprise centre, a new home for one of Peterfield's largest employers, and a much-needed housing estate has been unveiled this week. The ambitious and innovative project was born as fencing manufacturers JB Corrie carried on its desperate search for a new home in the town. And on Tuesday, plans for the relocation of Corrie's, and the building of an enterprise centre for start-up businesses along The Causeway on the edge of Petersfield, were presented to town councillors. JB Corrie has joined forces with agents for the landowner of The Causeway South site, White Young Green, and Forelle Estates, which specialises in building and running enterprise centres, to put together the package. It aims to provide a state-of-the-art new home for the fencing company on two acres of the four-acre site. Beside it would be the enterprise centre, offering small units for new businesses which would be developed and run by Forelle Estates. But the project hinges on Corrie getting planning permission to redevelop its current home in Frenchman's Road with a mix of 52 flats and townhouses, including 18 affordable homes. This, managing director Hugh Kennedy told town councillors on Tuesday night, would help finance the move. Speaking as agent for the owner of the land, which is beyond the last house (247) on The Causeway opposite the layby, Mark Carrington told the meeting: "The object of this is to retain this major Petersfield employer in the town, and it is not as easy as it sounds. "Most of us were aware of the difficulties which faced Estee Lauder (also in Frenchmans Road) which, unfortunately, had to move to Segensworth. We are trying to avoid a repeat of that situation. "There is considerable support for the relocation of Corries in the town," said Mr Carrington. "There is support at the district level and officers have been working with us to try to come up with a solution." He said the current plan for Corries and the enterprise centre together on The Causeway was appealing because the district council had been trying to attract business to the site for several years. Mr Carrington said it had been earmarked for commerce in the Local Plan, and that initial proposals had been presented to district councillors last November. "We have been encouraged to work these up," he said. The package needed to be considered as a whole, he stressed, as the business centre and the relocation of Corries depended financially on the redevelopment of the existing Corries site in the centre of Petersfield. It was proposed to build 52 homes consisting of 12 one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom flats, together with two, three and four-bedroom houses with walkway and cycle links to the centre of town. If planning permission was given the new Corries, homes would be built on to The Causeway (south) and the company would relocate to make way for the residential development. The meeting heard that an advantage of The Causeway (south) site was that it lay below the road and passing traffic would only be able to see the top third of the buildings. The proposed landscaping belt would soften that dramatically. The business centre would consist of units ranging from 750 square feet to 1,500sq ft, so that as businesses grew they could move to larger units on the same site Mr Kennedy said JB Corrie had been in Petersfield since l946, and the company was keen to remain in the town. "We manufacture a wide range of fencing and we service the whole country. We have 140 employees, mostly from the Petersfield area, and a turnover of £10m, and we are keen to stay in Petersfield." But he warned: "We are nearly at the end of the run in trying to find sites and we do have to move. The buildings in Frenchman's Road are at the end of their useful life and we are in need of modern facilities which meet health-and-safety standards." Mr Kennedy said it would be difficult to redevelop Corrie's current site as it was confined, and building work could not be carried out while it was still operating there. "Access is pretty inadequate and parking, although this is a sensitive issue, is limited. The Causeway (south) site would offer solutions. "We would be the first to admit ours is an industrial-looking site for the residents of Frenchman's Road and it is not a very 'pretty' operation. Through this package there would be the advantage of sprucing up the area." Mike Price, representing Forelle Estates, told the meeting that his company had 40 years' experience in developing and running enterprise centres and that it was their intention to carry on the management of The Causeway (south) centre. "Managing enterprise centres is a specialised type of business. There is a need to understand the needs of businesses starting up." An outline planning application is now being submitted to East Hampshire District Council.
