IT was just over a year ago that a massive blaze ripped through a giant Bishopstoke warehouse in what was one of Hampshire's biggest-ever fires.

Staff were evacuated from the building, which had been packed with Christmas toys and cigarette lighters, on the Tower Lane Industrial Estate.

Now the Daily Echo can reveal that from the ashes is set to rise a state-of-the-art warehouse which will be one of the finest on the south coast.

Work will soon get under way on building an 84,000 sq ft high-bay warehouse called Stoke Park. It will be the first sizeable industrial/warehouse development in the area for nearly 20 years.

Jason Webb, from the Southampton office of commercial property consultants Vail Williams, said: "There are no existing buildings on the south coast to compete on the level of Stoke Park. It will be in a class of its own."

With two-store, air conditioned offices fronting the building, Stoke Park will make a striking headquarters or regional hub suitable for either warehousing or manufacturing.

The building will be ready for occupation by May 2005. After that fateful fire drama, in which the building had to be bulldozed, the Bishopstoke site has lain idle.

Import Services, which was tenant of the building, was left to pick up the pieces from the conflagration in which thousands of toys destined for Christmas stockings were destroyed.

The company, which also operates from Hedge End, Nursling and Southampton, moved swiftly and relocated its staff.

A year on and managing director John Eynon said they were now facing a much happier Christmas. He added: "We have had a better year and taken on more staff."

Asked whether they would consider moving back to Bishopstoke, he said: "We were the tenants so it is up to the landlords. But if the building seems really nice then we would certainly consider it."

The agents for the owners are confident of achieving an early letting of the building.