I WRITE in response to the letter from Mark Elkins from the ‘Friends of Riverside’ (Echo, Nov 4) concerning the council’s purchase of land adjacent to the A338 for potential employment use.

The Wessex Fields business park, (as this area is known as) along with the adjacent Chaseside business area, is a vital employment site in Dorset, home to 10,000 jobs.

Through additional government funding we have an opportunity to transform the transport infrastructure in this part of the town and enable Wessex Fields to reach its full economic potential, whilst maximising the natural environment around it.

Currently the supply of vacant offices in Bournemouth is under 2% according to Co-Star, a national commercial property database.

Despite the recent success of One Lansdowne Plaza, Bournemouth’s first speculative office build in 20 years that is fully let, there is not enough appropriate business space to cater for existing business growth, let alone attract inward investment from outside the region.

There is strong demand for flexible business space in and around Bournemouth and by creating a modern business destination at Wessex Fields where we can promote healthy lifestyles and green spaces means we can attract businesses to Bournemouth which in turn will provide more jobs for the future.

There can be no doubt that people need jobs and a high level of employment and productivity is essential to the local economy.

Long term projects such as the Wessex Fields Business Park will ensure we plan for a future where Bournemouth can attract inward investment and give local people access to well paid jobs.

If approved a new link road from the A338 to Wessex Fields will help unlock this new employment land. In addition to this, the road will help safeguard existing jobs, and provide a much needed second access route into the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

COUNCILLOR DAVID SMITH

Cabinet Member responsible for Planning,

Bournemouth Town Hall