A HAMPSHIRE town is set to receive a jobs boost from a new industrial park.

Plans have been put forward by Burry and Knight Limited to build 21 industrial/storage units across 2.4-acre piece of land off Embankment Way in Ringwood.

Under the plans, the development will see 21 industrial/storage units with mix use for business, general industrial and storage or distribution in an arrangement of four blocks.

In a statement, the applicants said: “The site is currently vacant and as a result low-level scrub has become established across the site.

“The proposal meets local planning policies and follows on from the precedent established by the sites planning history for employment uses to be delivered on the site while the Ringwood Local Distinctiveness Strategic Planning Document also identifies that business parks are “an integral part of the built landscape of the town.

“As a result, the design of the proposals and their built form would not appear detrimental to the character of the appear or be incongruous to the townscape and there are no material considerations which weigh against the proposed development.”

Mark Baulch, head of policy and representation at the Hampshire Chamber of Commerce said: “Allowing small businesses to be based locally is good for the economy of smaller towns and reinforces the message that Hampshire is a great place to do business and that there continue to be investment opportunities here.”

However, the plans have faced opposition from Ringwood Town Council who viewed the proposal as overdevelopment of the site, with too many units along with Ringwood Society who shared the same concerns.

Meanwhile, housing developer Bellway, who have an office adjacent to the site had concerns about the impact of noise from some of the units although argeed that the plans fitted with the land usage.

The plans will be determined by New Forest District Council later this year.