THE town’s biggest building has been completed six weeks ahead of schedule.

B&Q’s £77m distribution site, off the A419 at Stratton, is the size of 20 football pitches and will service the company’s DIY and home stores across the south of England.

The 98-acre Triangle Site will bring 500 jobs to the town and will be fully operational by January 2012.

As part of the project, contractors Gazeley have worked closely with Swindon Council to make improvements to the local road network as well as contributing £150,000 for the provision of local art and £700,000 to be invested in the Great Western Community Forest.

Nigel Godfrey, senior vice president at Gazeley, said: “This project has been a key development for Gazeley and to complete something of this size so far ahead of our commitment to our customer is a huge achievement.

“B&Q are naturally delighted and I believe this further cements our position as the industry’s leading build-to-suit developer.

“This development is in a sought-after location and will offer B&Q a high-quality logistics centre that incorporates superb eco-credentials as well as providing a huge boost to the local economy.

“This was the biggest development of its kind currently being built in the UK.”

The development has not gone without hitches with people living in Highworth Road, opposite the new centre, having their homes turned into a building site.

Andy Ings, who owns Rulfcott Lodge Guest House, said: “The whole experience has been agonising and unpleasant.

“I am away at the moment but before I left it didn’t look anywhere near finished but then it depends what they define as finished.

“The surrounding areas like the pavements and roundabouts were still unfinished when I left, and I was told there was no chance of it being finished soon.

“I will be happy to see the back of the workers and I am sure the feeling is mutual.”

Another Highworth Road resident, Jill Hopes, said previously: “I can’t fault the workers, they have been fantastic but the works have caused a number of issues. There has been an awful lot of noise and dust and the disruption caused has made it hard to live with.”

No retail sales will take place at the site but Bob Brown, senior investment and development manager at B&Q, said: “This investment in a new regional distribution centre will help to improve customer service across the south of England.”

The building will include a wide range of eco-measures including the re-use of rainwater collected from the roof of the building and solar panels to heat the water. A solar wall uses renewable energy to heat and ventilate the building.

The development will also include substantial areas of new habitat around the building with the planting of 500 new trees.

To enable people to follow the progress of the work a real-time webcam was set up on a dedicated website – www.gparkswindon.co.uk.