A groundbreaking ceremony has been held in order to mark the start of a 78-week building programme in Aldershot, Hampshire, which will deliver a new mixed-use complex.

A seven-screen Cineworld cinema and eight restaurants - including Frankie and Benny's; and Prezzo - are planned as part of the Westgate project, along with a Travelodge hotel. Located between Wellington Avenue and the town centre, the development is being funded through Forward Funding Agreement worth £51m with Legal and General Property (LGP).

Rushmoor Borough Council and Citygrove Securities agreed the deal with LGP, which will also raised £42m in equity to extend the life span of the fund from 2014 to 2020. McLaren Construction - the main contractor for the Westgate scheme - is due to start on site in mid-April, with the preparatory phase now underway.