AN “UNDERUTILISED” building could be given a new lease of life by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

At the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 15 May, members discussed the opportunity to purchase Norden House in Basing View.

With the help of the M3 Enterprise LEP, the borough council has taken the decision to purchase the 14,00 sq ft building and redevelop it.

Councillor John Izzet, cabinet member for property and development said: “By purchasing this site this will enable us to redevelop what is an underutilised site.

“It is also important in the overall regeneration of Basing View.

“It is a good purchase for the council which we hope can act as a catalyst to the further regeneration of the area.”

With this purchase it is hoped that the Norden House site will become an asset the borough council can use in executing the plans to transform Basing View into one of the most affordable business destinations in the south east.

Cabinet member for finance, service delivery and improvement, Cllr Robert Tate said it was great to have support of the M3 Enterprise LEP which has been instrumental in helping build up Basing View.

He added: “It has been an objective of ours that we wanted to secure the site and now we can see a return from redeveloping it.”

Leaded of the borough council, Cllr Clive Sanders, added: “It is a easy site to redevelop and we are already starting to see a return of Basing View as an attractive business area.

“It is clear that in a number of years we are starting to see a real difference in the whole of Basing View.”

Commercially sensitive information such as the cost of the purchase was discussed behind closed doors at the meeting.