This centre is based in a modern, spacious building in a business village close to Preston Docklands. Now a popular area for business, leisure, entertainment and shopping, this was once Europe's largest single dock basin. Preston is the commercial and administrative centre of Lancashire with an excellent transport network that makes it a popular choice for distribution companies. The city's economy is healthy and diverse, with strong service and high-value manufacturing sectors. Employment growth is expected to be well above average over the next 10 years and many top companies are based here. Preston's dynamic aerospace and hi-tech engineering industry reflects Lancashire's status as the biggest centre for aerospace production excellence in the UK, with about 140 companies employing 30,000 highly skilled people. New investment in the area includes two state-of-the-art communication centres serving major retailers as well as a number of business services, computing and finance firms.