A NEW Sainsbury’s supermarket could be on hold for two years after B&Q signed a lease extension.

The DIY chain is still trading at the store in Lightship Way in Colchester but its lease comes to an end in May.

It was expected the building would be handed over to Sainsbury’s to allow it to begin work on its new 73,000sq ft store.

READ MORE: Could work be set to finally start on new Hythe Sainsbury’s in May?

But now it seems the DIY store could stay put at its Hythe home for another two years ahead of the site takeover by Sainsbury’s.

B&Q plans to move to the Stane Retail Park, in Stanway.

But work is only set to start on its new home next month - potentially leaving it with nowhere to go.

B&Q has now confirmed it has signed a two year lease allowing it to stay on site until its new home is built.

A spokesman said: “We are committed to having an ongoing presence in the Colchester area and have secured a two-year lease extension for our current store on Lightship Way.

“The lease extension means that it is much more likely that we’ll be able to provide our customers with continual access to B&Q in Colchester while our new store in Stane Park is under development.”

Sainsbury’s had to apply to vary its planning permission approved by Colchester Council to allow B&Q to continue operating from the site.

Sainsbury’s was granted planning permission to open in February 2016.

Gazette:

Its planning permission runs out in August and it has set about discharging conditions to prevent the permission from lapsing.

It is understood once work begins it will take a year to complete.

B&Q will move to Stanway as part of the second phase of the Stane Park development.

Developer Churchmanor Estates will build nine new retail units, three of which will be home to Marks and Spencer, Aldi and the DIY store, as well as three cafés and a restaurant.

READ MORE: B&Q could be left high and dry without Stane Park deal

The remaining retail units will house furniture and homeware stores.

Work on the development is expected to start on site next month and it is hoped it will be completed in summer 2020.

There is also a Nando’s, KFC and a Starbucks drive thru which were built as part of the first part of the project.