THE plans to develop a business park on the site of the former Andover Airfield have moved a step closer to becoming reality with the news that property group Goodman has submitted a revised planning application.

The revised application includes a 468,160sq ft regional distribution centre for the Co-operative group - just over half the size of the originally proposed Tesco 'megashed'.

Goodman spokesman Jason Harris said: "We look forward to a positive outcome for the revised application so that we can move forward and deliver the new jobs and investment at Andover Airfield for which there is so much local support."

The application also includes a hotel and conference centre, a main office building, smaller starter units, a range of smaller warehouse buildings and a biomass combined heat and power supply.

The latest application comes after a period of public consultation with the local community and now the application, supported by a comprehensive set of documents will be examined by the Highways Agency, Test Valley Borough Council and Hampshire County Council.

Goodman proposes to deal with all the off-site issues in the same way as in the scheme granted planning permission in August 2009.

In October last year Goodman was named as the best large developer at the prestigious 2008 Industrial Agents Society awards.

The Co-operative Group is currently busy absorbing the network of Somerfield stores it acquired and re-branding them as Co-ops.