Eastleigh Borough Council to Close Wessex House Business Centre 

Eastleigh Borough Council has taken the difficult decision to close Wessex House Business Centre for the foreseeable future, following the outcome of detailed electrical and fire safety surveys. 

Wessex House, located on Upper Market Street in Eastleigh town centre, has provided affordable office space to local businesses for over 20 years. Around 35 businesses currently occupy the building on rolling short-term licence agreements. A small number of tenants have been temporarily based at Eastleigh House since the precautionary closure of Wessex House in February 2025. 

Recent professional surveys, undertaken as part of feasibility work into a potential refurbishment of the building, identified serious issues with the building’s electrical systems and fire safety. The investigations revealed significant deterioration in the building’s electrical infrastructure since previous inspections, along with failures in fire compartmentation and other safety-critical features. The surveys concluded that a full building rewire and comprehensive fire safety works would be required before the building could safely reopen. 

The cost of the electrical works alone is estimated at £900,000. Given the scale of investment required and the uncertainty about further underlying issues, once fire protection and wider fabric improvements are factored in, the Council has concluded that the business case for carrying out the work is not viable. 

The Council’s Asset Management Team is supporting tenants during this transition, including signposting to alternative business accommodation options where possible. 

No decision has yet been made on the long-term future of the site. A full report setting out the reasons behind the closure and the evidence informing the decision will be brought to Councillors in May. 

This has been a very difficult decision, but the Council’s priority must be the safety of tenants, visitors and staff. The Council would like to thank all Wessex House tenants for their understanding throughout this process and will continue to work with them in the weeks ahead.