Snow dome plans attacked by businesses (From Daily Echo)

Businesses left in limbo by Southampton's snow dome plans

1:43pm Tuesday 26th January 2010 in News Exclusive By Peter Law, Feature Writer

Dome plans are snow joke for businesses

BUSINESS owners on the site of Southampton’s proposed snow dome say they have been left in limbo by the multi-million pound plan.

About 20 businesses could be forced to make way for the real-snow ski slope, which will be the centrepiece of a huge new leisure centre next to the Itchen Bridge.

As revealed by the Daily Echo yesterday, Southampton City Council wants the indoor wintersports centre to be built on the site of the city’s Town Depot.

At least part of the industrial estate surrounding the site could be razed to accommodate the slope and the council has confirmed it would consider using its Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers.

The scheme has the potential to create hundreds of jobs and attract thousands of visitors to the city, however it has angered business owners faced with relocation.

The firms will be entitled to compensation from whoever is selected by the council as the snow dome’s developer.

But some fear it will be impossible to find a new location, with similar transport links and parking space, elsewhere in the city.

The council informed most businesses of its intention to redevelop the area last October, however they only learnt about the snow dome proposal in yesterday’s Echo.

Andy Gadd, managing director of Valley Reinforcement, a steel structural firm that employs 23 people, said he had been left in the dark.

Mr Gadd, who owns 9,000 sq ft of land within the estate and has three tenants, said: “Any plans for the city that bring investment has got to be good, but you’ve got to remember we are here giving local people a living.

“What I find frustrating is that the council did not come and talk to any of us about their plans. It’s just common courtesy and I have been left in the lurch.

“All of my employees and tenants are worried about what is going to happen, but I can’t tell them anything as I do not know.”

Mr Gadd estimated up to 200 people were directly employed on the industrial estate.

Signwork, another firm that has been on the estate for more than two decades, could also be evicted by the snow dome.

Managing director Gary Cruse, who employs eight staff and rents his office from a private landlord, said relocating would cost £30,000.

“We don’t want to move because this position is fantastic. We are right in the middle of town and surrounded by all our customers,” the 45-year-old, from Woolston, said.

The council has given developers until Thursday to register their interest for the project.