A Sleaford business park, Pride Court situated on the town's Sleaford Enterprise Park was officially completed only four months ago but such has been the high level of demand that already it is fully let as enquiries from other businesses eager to move there continue to flood in.

"Even after concluding the last letting, we were still receiving enquiries. This level of demand, which has exceeded expectations, indicates optimism in the market place and is certainly re-assuring to the developer who is currently reviewing further projects on the undeveloped areas of Sleaford Enterprise Park," said Sam Heathershaw of Hodgson Elkington, chartered surveyors who have marketed the development by Melbourne Holdings Limited

The final tenant, D P Private Hire, which operates and hires a 16 seater mini bus to businesses including Lincolnshire County Council schools services, snapped up the last remaining 1,000 sq ft unit. "We needed more space to garage the mini bus and to provide the flexibility to develop the business," said proprietor Debbie Parkes.

Motorcycle engineering, valeting, Tarpaulin manufacturing, carbon fibre engineering and light industrial engineering businesses occupy the 22,000 sq ft of industrial space comprising 22 units on the 1.5 acre site.

"The majority of tenants have relocated from smaller premises, with some benefiting from the flexible construction methods by taking multiple units and creating floor areas of 2,000 sq ft upwards. This development has demonstrated that if a developer is willing to offer sensible terms and competitive rents, local organisations are still willing and able to develop their businesses," said Sam Heathershaw.

Additionally the last unit has just been let in the nearby Reedspire Industrial Units complex also built by Melbourne Holdings. These 19 units of various floor areas totalling 21,000 sq ft. were built by the developer for North Kesteven District Council, who have let them to local businesses on flexible terms

These developments combined have created in excess of 250 jobs.

"Sleaford has seen exceptional growth over the past five years on both residential and employment development and is considered to be one of the fastest expanding towns in the East Midlands," added Sam Heathershaw.

"The full letting and completion of this further phase of development is an important step in what will be a continuing development of the 35 acres over the years ahead creating a number of development opportunities for manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution and office use, either freehold or leasehold, to meet the demand that has clearly been identified," said John Priestley, chairman of Melbourne Holdings Limited.

Another attraction to the Sleaford Enterprise Park, believes Hodgson Elkington, is its strategic position at the crossroads of the A15/A17 trunk roads providing excellent links to the A1 at Newark, the East Anglian and Humber ports that are all easily accessible from the Lincolnshire Heartlands region and the port of Boston that can be reached within half an hour.

The opening up of this 35-acre site will enable Sleaford to more than compete with the other principal market towns throughout the county. The strategic importance of Sleaford being at the junction of the A15 and A17 trunk roads is a key factor. The employment opportunities that this will present to Sleaford are massive with up to ½ million square feet of office, industrial and employment space being possibly created." said Sam Elkington, senior partner at Hodgson Elkington & Co, managing and letting agents for the development.

The site is part of the Lincolnshire Heartlands Development programme and owned and being developed by Melbourne Holdings Limited working in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council.