OVER half the new shops on a Westbury housing estate are already under offer four months before building work on them is due to finish.

The largest unit at the Leigh Park Local Centre has been earmarked for Tesco Express since the plans were approved in January.

Construction work began in June and now three more stores have committed themselves to the seven shop Marshgate Developments project. Work is set to finish by Christmas, but letting agent Brian Fitchett is confident the remaining three units will be filled well before then.

Mr Fitchett, who is acting on behalf of Marshgate, would not reveal the precise shop names to follow Tesco until leases were actually signed.

But he said: "We've interest being expressed from a fast food restaurant, an estate agent, a hairdressers and a florist.

"We've signed leases on some of these properties, but others are still to be agreed. Three units are still available to be let.

"As far as we are concerned things are going extremely well. The shops should be available from just after Christmas.

"Building work has only just started but there's been a great deal of interest. The development is proving to be a great success and the shops will be welcomed by local residents.

"Anyone looking to set up a hairdressing business, beauty salon, video rental or fish and chip shop would find the units at Leigh Park the ideal location."

The project also includes 14 starter home apartments above the shops, forming a development called Prince's Gate.

Only three of these are yet to be sold and letting agent Davies and Davies of Westbury has been delighted with the take-up.

Westbury councillor and Leigh Park Community Association (LPCA) chairman Russell Hawker said now work on the shops was finally under way, it was a big boost to residents.

He said: "I can tell you that there is a palpable feeling of expectation now that people can see the work is going on.

"There were some people who had given up on it, but now seeing is believing.

"The local centre is going to form the heart of the community."

Aside from the shops and flats, the local centre will also feature a religious site and health campaigners hope a doctors' surgery can be included.

Westbury Churches Together and LPCA plan to use the religious site for a community nursery and a Sunday service venue while the Jehovah's Witnesses want it for a Kingdom Hall.

Developer Persimmon Homes is yet to decide which project to back, but is expected to lodge further plans for the local centre this autumn.