NEW plans to extend and refurbish the town’s Sainsbury’s have been given the go-ahead.
The supermarket based at the Abbey Retail Park will be extended by 578 square metres on the side closest to Fishing Line Road after approval by councillors at a planning meeting on Wednesday (July 9).
An application was granted in February for a much larger extension of 1,244 square metres.
But bosses have since revised the plans and instead the restaurant, toilets and the learning centre will all be relocated to the new extended section.
The front of the store will then become part of the sales area. The entire shop will also be refurbished.
The plans will also see car parking spaces reduce from 520 to 441, but there will be 11 more disabled spaces, 16 more cycle spaces and two more parent and child spaces.
As part of an agreement between the company and the council, improvement works will be carried out to Lydham Close underpass including new lights, anti-graffiti paint and mirrors.
Tristan Hutton, Sainsbury’s agent, said the larger store would benefit the customer experience and would provide better use of the current floor space.
The work will start on Monday, July 28 and is expected to be completed towards the end of November.
The store will remain open during the work, apart from the final week.
A public drop-in session will be held on Wednesday, July 16, in the store café between 3.30pm and 7pm to find out more about the work.
Members of the construction team will be available to discuss the work on the store and answer any questions.
