SANDY Balls Holiday Centre near Fordingbridge is investing nearly £100,000 to ensure that visitors with disabilities have full access to their facilities.

The investment will take place over the next two years with about £60,000 being spent during this year and more than £40,000 during 2004.

The holiday centre at Godshill has long embraced the concept of accessibility it introduced three specially designed wheelchair accessible Forest Lodges to its range of accommodation more than eight years ago.

The new project has been eighteen months in the planning.

The first step was the preparation of a comprehensive access audit report during 2002, which highlighted the additional adjustments needed and has formed the basis for the work now in train.

Projects in place for 2003 include the revamp of the centre's main reception building, the introduction of counter loop systems at various points around the site, a review of disabled parking bays, adjustments to signs and lighting and a significant programme of staff training.

"It is important to us that Sandy Balls is accessible to everyone," said Andrew Howe, managing director. "We have already undertaken a great deal of work to ensure that is the case."

The second phase of the project, planned for 2004, will see the installation of a lift in the Sandy Balls leisure centre as well as the arrival of another specially adapted Forest Lodge, bringing the total to four.

In addition, a feasibility study will be undertaken to resolve the issue of access to its Italian restaurant, Valencio's.

Currently housed in a listed building, there are planning restrictions in place which preclude making changes to the fabric of the building.

Mr Howe said: "Our mission statement, 'to ensure that every guest leaves us wanting to return', can only be truly inclusive when all of the centre's facilities are available to every guest.

"We have had wheelchair accessible lodges at Sandy Balls for more than eight years and improvements and changes across the site have always been undertaken with all our guests in mind."