HUNDREDS of new jobs for Wellington could follow as an extension to the Westpark business park at Chelston is developed.

An area of scrubland to the rear of the business park already has outline planning consent for employment use and now developers have submitted detailed plans, known as ’reserve matters’.

Exeter-based Burrington Estates wants to build 56 high quality bespoke industrial/commercial units on the 5.2-acre plot providing more than 56,000 sq ft of employment floorspace.

The move comes after claims by developers of a rival proposed business park on the other side of Chelston roundabout that Westpark was almost full and a new development was therefore needed to serve the town.

The new buildings would be similar to existing units at Westpark designed for standard industrial and employment use and offering slightly more than 1,000 sq ft of space, while one would be earmarked for a nursery or gym-type business.

Each would have three car parking spaces and one HGV/delivery vehicle space, and there would be six visitor/customer spaces and six disabled parking spaces, plus two cycle stores.

Electric vehicle charging facilities were included and each building would be fitted with solar panels.

Burrington’s agent, Richard Bailey, associate director of planning consultants Avalon Planning and Heritage, said: "Overall, the development proposed is considered a suitable and appropriate response to the site and its context that will deliver high quality industrial/employment provision within a pleasant and safe environment."

Mr Bailey said district council planning officers had already advised they were likely to support the application because the suggested mix of uses was considered acceptable in policy terms.

He said the council’s development plan for Taunton Deane identified Wellington as the focus for growth outside Taunton and set out that the bulk of new employment growth would be on allocated and permitted sites at Chelston.

A design and access statement prepared by consultancy Expedite stated that Burrington was a commercial property developer of premium office, retail and leisure projects, mostly in mixed-use schemes in the Westcountry, and was renowned for breathing new life into the buildings and communities it developed.

Expedite said Burrington’s portfolio reflected deep understanding of the needs of each market with projects which provided ’innovative and sustainable commercial space’ attracting businesses to relocate, making them a pleasure in which to work and encouraging investors to want a stake in them.

The council is asking for public comments on the plan up to March 11 and has set a target date of May 10 to determine the application.