AS A result of Linden's substantial expansion in a widening area around Southampton, the house company plans to build a new head office on a site facing the A35 in West Totton.

Linden managing director Gerard Price said: "This will be the third time (and hopefully the last) that we have built our own head office! The move is prompted partly by higher staff numbers and partly our desire to create a state-of-the-art customer service centre.''

Designed to Linden's own specification, the building will feature a "customer-led" showroom displaying option, such as the choices in kitchens and bathrooms. A staff of advisers will help buyers personalise their new home.

"People are generally buying at an earlier stage of construction,'' adds Mr Price, a former holder of the Daily Echo KPMG Young Entrepreneur Award.

"This new facility will no doubt add to their confidence in making the right choice. In addition visitors will enjoy excellent meeting room facilities, ample car parking, and the same friendly reception as now. The building will use the latest technology for environmentally sympathetic heating and air conditioning, and will include a staff shower-room for those who wish to cycle to work and then freshen up before the working day.

"With over 50 staff and around 15 current sites at any one time, the new office will become essential to the company's continuing success and growth. It will also very much retain the strong links to Southampton which have been so important over the years.

"We will install the latest information technology as we make greater use of e-mail and data transfer, to and from designers, specifiers, suppliers and customers.

"Work should be complete by Easter 2000,'' said Mr Price. "However, just as our own critical customers do, we'll need to watch that our very high standards don't cause delay!''

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.