WORK has started on the first speculative office development to be built in the M25 South East quadrant for over two years - and one of only three currently under construction in the entire M25 market.

The 58,793 sq ft, two storey, air conditioned office building at Kings Hll, near Maidstone, is situated in a prime location on Kings Hill Avenue close to the entrance to the park and adjacent to blue chip occupier Man Group plc. It is scheduled for completion the first quarter of 2006.

The building, designed by London-based Richard Partington Architects, is arranged as two linear bars with paired top lit reception and atrium spaces between providing flexible and efficient office space and parking for 311 cars.

Andrew Blevins, managing director of Kings Hill developer Liberty Property Trust UK Ltd, said: "96 per cent of our commercial space is occupied, and with an upturn in the market predicted for next year, we decided that the time was right to invest in more speculative development.

"Kent is attracting a good level of interest from City, Greater London and regional companies and I believe that we will attract a tenant for the whole building, though it is divisible if more than one tenant wishes to occupy it."

Over £400 million has been invested in Kings Hill to date and the first phase of development is almost complete. Over 800,000 sq ft is now occupied by some 100 businesses, employing a workforce of around 5,000. The new building will boost the number of jobs at Kings Hill by a further 350.

Although occupancy levels are high, Caroline Binns, marketing and leasing manager at Kings Hill, is keen to stress that anyone interested in relocating to the park should still contact her, or instructed agents Knight Frank and CB Richard Ellis.

She said: "As well as sites for bespoke property solutions, we have a range of office sizes and types which become available as occupiers’ needs change, for example driven by growth and the need to expand. We aim to accommodate most requests."

In the Kings Hill residential areas 1,390 homes are now occupied with a further 364 under construction - with 15 per cent of households having one person employed by one of the companies located there.

Liberty Square, a new restaurant, retail, medical centre which serves both the business and residential communities, is now open and a 90,000 sq ft David Lloyd Leisure racquets, health and fitness club is scheduled to open in July.

There are also two primary schools, day nursery, a University of Greenwich business and conference facility, an 18 hole golf course, an ASDA supermarket, a pub, doctors surgery and a community centre.