Plans to increase the height of a shop at an under construction retail park have been submitted.

Work on the long-awaited Blackwater Retail Park in Maldon started in October, more than ten years after plans were first announced.

Now Aquila has applied to Maldon District Council to vary a condition on the plans and allow the building for the Next store to be made taller.

The plans show the building could now be 21ft tall compared with the approved 18.8ft.

If approved the store would be the height of approximately 4.3 family sized cars.

The town’s new retail park will include eight shopping units as well as a possible hotel, which together are expected to create more than 200 jobs.

Stores already announced for the site include Home Bargains, Costa, Aldi and Sports Direct.

It is expected to open in the summer.

Maldon District Council will have the final say on the new plans.