Plans to bring thousands of jobs to South Hampshire have taken a further step forward as improvement work has begun on the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus.

Just a few weeks after planning permission was granted to unlock the site for major development which will deliver up to 3,500 jobs for the Enterprise Zone, work is already under way to improve access to the site and boost water and electricity infrastructure.

Around £1.6m will be invested by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) in this first phase of activity, which partners say marks a vital step in attracting new businesses and investors to the site.

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Contractors are currently transforming the old emergency access point near Gosport Road into a new permanent access point with its own junction and access road. Once complete, they plan to do the same at the access point off Broom Way.

In addition, Portsmouth Water and Scottish and Southern Electric have been appointed to carry out the initial phase of bringing water and electricity to the site. Currently, the Enterprise Zone at Daedalus is served by an old Ministry of Defence utilities system, which will need to be replaced to service the scores of businesses that are expected to set up on the site in coming years.

Talks are also under way to bring super fast broadband to the site and real estate firm DTZ has been appointed to market the site to potential tenants.

Gary Jeffries, director of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which is responsible for delivering the Enterprise Zone, said: "It is incredibly exciting to see this project beginning to take shape through the new access points. The work that is taking place now is laying the foundations for a world-class advanced manufacturing centre that Hampshire and the UK can be truly proud of."

(CD)