FOREST businessman Brian Bennett has completed negotiations to take over the Xerox Business Park site at Mitcheldean.

Mr Bennett, head of BMJ International Ltd, says that already talks are well advanced with a number of potential new tenants and he believes that "in the medium term" the site redevelopment will bring new employment.

A statement issued last week confirmed Xerox will continue to occupy a number of buildings on the site for the manufacture of fuser rolls and associated components and to provide recycling facilities for Xerox products as well as related administration and customer supply activities.

The statement says Xerox has completed a lease back agreement with BMJ International and that Xerox Business Services and other businesses including those located at the Xerox Business Park and at Mitcheldean Enterprise Workshops (MEWs) Ltd will also continue under their existing lease terms, with BMJ as their landlord.

BMJ is preparing redevelopment plans for the site, which include replacement of around 100,000 sq ft of existing buildings with new, high quality facilities specially designed for medium and small-sized industrial and commercial businesses, including start-up facilities for expanding local businesses. BMJ also hope to organise an on-site children's nursery for working parents. It is expected that this redevelopment work will commence by September 2002.

Plans are also well advanced for the provision of around 16,000 sq ft of high quality, air conditioned office facilities, suitable for call centres, small, flexible, short-let prestige serviced offices, and data handling or business recovery centres.

Brian Bennett commented: "Of course, we are pleased to have concluded this agreement. Our highest priority is to create a high quality environment to attract new employment to Mitcheldean.

"Negotiations are already well advanced with a number of potential new tenants, but while good progress is being made, this will inevitably take some time to complete. The site, and the Forest of Dean, has an excellent resource of highly qualified, very loyal and capable people. I am sure our plans for the Business Park will maximise new employment opportunities, as we build on the substantial skills and resources developed by Xerox at Mitcheldean over the years."

Mr Bennett added: "Negotiations are continuing with local and regional government for the continued redevelopment of the site. It will be some time before these negotiations are complete, but our provisional plans have met with a favourable reception from all involved. We are confident that the site redevelopment will benefit everybody in the locality and bring much needed new employment in the medium term."

The Xerox Business Park and the adjacent Mews occupy a 67-acre site east of Mitcheldean, and include more than 1.2 million sq ft of office, and high quality manufacturing and storage space, including air-conditioned electronics assembly areas. The site includes a state-of-the-art communications system with high quality fibre optic links between units. Currently, more than 50 businesses occupy the site, extending from a high-tech electronics security firm to a baker.