HUNDREDS of new jobs are due to be created at Solstice Park in Amesbury as plans for a new Greggs bakery, Costa Coffee and McDonalds restaurant move ahead.

Greggs plans to start building its 66,000 sq ft bakery next spring and the project will take about 14 months to complete.

More than 200 jobs will be created at the bakery, which will also allow the chain to open more stores in the region.

The bakery will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will be a hub for a fleet of Greggs lorries delivering to its shops.

Solstice Park has also been chosen as the location for one of the first drive through Costa Coffee branches in the country.

The chain plans to start building its new coffee shop in January and it is expected to open in April.

Permission has also been granted for a McDonald’s restaurant although the chain is expected to wait until the end of the planning process in October before formally committing to building on the site.

The new Greggs would bring several jobs to the area.

“In addition to employment, this would increase the variety at Solstice Park, not just for people using the A303 but for local people too,” said development manager for Solstice Park, Cliff Whitley.

“We will be very pleased to have them here.”

In a report to Amesbury Town Council last Tuesday, Mr Whitley said there was further good news with a scientific company and clothing retailer each purchasing a plot and work starting on a concrete mixing plant in 2013.

However, other areas of Solstice Park remain empty and, while undeveloped, the site struggles to attract more businesses.

Interest in a data centre for storing electronic information has fallen away.

Plans for more offices housing up to 400 people have also been put on hold, due to the financial climate.

* CLIENTS are still being sought for a controversial regional distribution centre which sparked a huge planning row.

Planning permission was eventually granted and remains in place for another four years, although no company has yet committed to building the hub, which would create up to 1,000 jobs, on the site.

“The planning process took such a long time that we lost out to other places,” said Mr Whitley.

“We are constantly marketing the site.

“It would be a large scale investment for any company but we remain optimistic.”

Part of the site has also been put forward to Wiltshire Council for new leisure facilities for Amesbury although no progress will be made until funding is available.