MORE than 300 jobs are to be created in the New Forest in a dramatic expansion of property services company Peverel.

Already New Milton's largest single employer, The Peverel Group has unveiled plans that will see it double the size of its headquarters' workforce.

Roles on offer range from junior staff to senior management, but bosses declined to discuss salary details.

Peverel has submitted plans to New Forest District Council for a three-storey office block on Stem Lane Industrial Estate to house the extra staff.

The block, which will be more than 3,000 square metres, will take space currently occupied by an industrial unit and small car park.

Recruitment Recruitment will begin during the next 12 months, with the 300 extra jobs, including administration, accounts, IT, call centre, marketing and human resources roles, expected to be filled by 2010.

Founded more than 25 years ago and always headquartered in New Milton, The Peverel Group today employs 4,000 people around the UK.

As well as the residential and retirement property management for which it's best known, the group also has a major distress alarms business, which provide an emergency call monitoring service to vulnerable people across the UK.

It is a small part of the vast property empire of Iranian tycoon Vincent Tchenguiz, who owns a commercial property portfolio worth £4 billion as well as 250,000 homes.

Nigel Bannister, chief executive of Peverel, said the expansion is a reflection of the company's success.

"All aspects of our business have continued to expand and we have won significant new business over the last six months. The quality of our staff underpins our commitment to customer service and innovation across the group.

"We are proud to be a major employer for the area offering quality opportunities, careers and development.

"This expansion shows our commitment and is testament to the quality of the personnel we are able to recruit.

"As we have grown we have taken over more and more space at Stem Lane and it will be fantastic to have this purpose built office block without having to move from New Milton."

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