A GROWING number of entrepreneurs in the south are setting the pace for new business start-ups in the country and has prompted plans for the region to open its second business incubator.

Accommodation is specially geared for small fledgling business organisations.

The first incubator of its kind, at the Chilworth Science Park, which opened earlier this year, has already proved such a success that plans are now underway for a second to be established.

The park, owned by the University of Southampton, is seeking planning approval from Test Valley Borough Council.

Dr Don Fox, Chilworth Science Park's managing director, said that the first business incubator opened by Lord Sainsbury has been an extraordinary success and the incubator concept had proven to be highly successful in helping to turn fledgling enterprises into viable knowledge-based businesses.

"The Chilworth Business Incubator has ensured that people with bright science and technology ideas are able to develop their business to the benefit of the local and regional economy. Indeed, we are already seeing our first "graduates" from the Business Incubator extending their operations into other parts of the local area.

"What is also clear is that we simply cannot provide sufficient resource at present - hence our application to build a second incubator. I believe it is vital to our economy that we continue to nurture the knowledge based industries of the future."

Dr Fox said the success of the Chilworth Science Park and the dynamism of the university had helped attract an increasing number of entrepreneurs to set up at the incubator.

"We had expected to have the first one 75 per cent full by March this year but in fact it was 100 per cent full by the end of last year.''

He said a combination of factors had boosted the success of Chilworth from the buoyant economy in the region to the entrepreneurial culture in the south and the success of Chilworth attracting interest.

"The incubator is an enormous credit to Southampton and we are delighted to have more than enough demand to open a second,'' said Dr Fox.

The application to expand has already been lodged with the planners and includes plans to build the 940 sqm unit as an extension to the site in Venture Road on the science park. If everything is approved the new incubator will be up and running by the end of next year.''

The current Business Incubator forms a key element in the Southampton Innovation Hub, which is funded by the South East England Development Agency and is led by director Stephen Davis.