Contractor for former Novartis site enabling works to be appointed

Last year West Sussex County Council secured outline planning permission for the new Horsham Enterprise Park, with the scheme including 300 new homes, up to 25,000 square metres of employment space and some community facilities.

A contract for enabling works is set to be awarded to Axio (Special Works) Limited based in Portslade, subject to call-in.

The programme, originally costed at £2.72m but with the tender at a lower price, has been designed to facilitate early commencement of the first phase of commercial development.

This would go on at the same time as the county council procures a development partner to deliver the redevelopment scheme.

Officers point out in a report how the works will increase the overall value of the site whether or not the development proceeds in the manner envisaged or the site is subsequently sold.