A MAJOR landmark in the development of Basingstoke's Festival Place flagship shopping complex has taken place with the handover of the first retail unit.

Bosses from Debenhams - one of the anchor stores - were officially given the store which takes up 10 per cent of the space at Festival Place at a symbolic handover ceremony on Thursday.

Leading members of Basingstoke council were among those at the ceremony, which took place in a specially-converted room in the unit itself. Work will now begin on preparing the inside of the premises ready for the shopfitters.

Paul Morris, senior development manager for Festival Place at developers Grosvenor, said: "The first handover of a unit is a really exciting milestone for Festival Place.

"We are delighted to be working with Debenhams and we look forward to the opening of the store. We're sure it will be the jewel in the crown of this ambitious project."

Jim Murphy, property director at Debenhams, said: "This is a great milestone for Debenhams."

He added: "Over the last two years we have started to talk about coming here to Basingstoke.

"It's a great market for us and it will give people a reason to shop in Basingstoke rather than go somewhere else."

The Debenhams store consists of three floors and will boast more than 50 private label brands and 400 national and international brands.

The £300 million Festival Place development is scheduled to be completed in Autumn 2002.