NEW industrial estate land in Andover may be offered freehold to industrialists in a bid to entice new businesses and industries into the town.

News that more than a million square feet of space is lying idle in the town has highlighted the challenges faced by an industrial base rooted extensively in manufacturing at a time when structural changes to the economy mean there is more demand for office, warehouse and more modern accommodation.

Some firms have also experienced problems in securing finance from banks because Test Valley Borough Council has only offered leasehold tenure on the properties in the past.

A fresh challenge has appeared as more popular freehold properties can now be bought at the about-to- open Solstice Park site, a few minutes west along the A303.

The leasehold system has, over many years, ensured that the council has continued to receive a secure income from properties on the industrial estates and that it retains some control over the way they are run.

Now estates manager Brian Nicholas has recommended that freehold property could be sold when the Walworth Industrial Estate is extended by around 20 acres in the next three or four years.

He also had encouraging news about a significant investment by Swiss based bank and asset managers UBS. "There is a million square feet vacant but about a quarter of that is former Ducal property most of which has been acquired by UBS," said Mr Nicholas at a meeting of the borough council's executive.

"They have a legal obligation to spend £1.5 million upgrading buildings but we are hoping to do better than that. With new long term leases UBS will spend up to £5.5 million."

He pointed out that despite recent problems the local unemployment rate is still only half the national average and that one Andover company, Powells Group, which employs 76 people at the moment had just agreed to move to a new 17,500 sq ft building on Walworth estate.

Andover councillor Rod Bailey said note should be taken of the ill-preparedness of part of the Andover workforce to adapt to more hi-tech, highly skilled employment.

"We are all right at packing and stacking but we need extra training if we want more hi-tech firms to come in," he said.