WORK has started on a large office development in Portishead which could bring 500 jobs to the town. The new nine million pound scheme, known as Portis Fields, is being built on Bristol Road close to junction 19 of the M5. The project, being spearheaded b

WORK has started on a large office development in Portishead which could bring 500 jobs to the town.The new nine million pound scheme, known as Portis Fields, is being built on Bristol Road close to junction 19 of the M5.The project, being spearheaded by Gladman Developments, features a mix of office accommodation ranging in size from 2,250 sq ft to 10,070 sq ft to appeal to all sorts of organisations.Gladman Developments spokesman Romy Silvers (pictured above) said: "We are very confident that Portis Fields will prove a success."We already have very strong interest in one building from a local occupier and are in talks with a number of others."Portishead is a thriving, expanding town, where we have identified a strong demand for quality, purpose-built, modern office space, especially from fast growing companies looking for flexible space."The firm has started to build on site without having first secured occupiers.Ms Silvers added: "We always build speculatively as we know that this is the best way to attract new companies to our offices and new employers to an area."Portis Fields is Gladman's 47th speculative office scheme in England and Wales in the past five years.The firm invests more than £100 million per year building new offices and currently has more than 1,000,000 sq ft under construction.