A HUGE £60 million retail park which will create new premises for B&Q, Marks and Spencer and Aldi is on course to be completed by October, it has been revealed.

Churchmanor Estates started building works at its Stane Retail Park development, at Tollgate in Stanway, in September.

The new 173,000 sq ft retail park, about the size of three football pitches, will house a new store for B&Q, an M&S Food Hall and a new Aldi.

As part of the development, Churchmanor is also spending £2.6 million on improvements to the Eight Ash Green A12 roundabout, where a four way traffic signal junction is set to be created.

Gazette:

  • Picture: Readie Construction

The Western Bypass is also set to be widened to two lanes between Essex Yeomanry Way and the Sainsbury’s roundabout.

Churchmanor says the development is still on course to be completed this autumn, despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesman said: “We are delighted that Stane Retail Park is moving forward, and our contractor Readie remains on target to complete the development by October.

“We have also confirmed a start date of April 6 with Highways England to start works to the Eight Ash Green roundabout which will form part of the £2.6 million of highway works that we are bringing to Stanway as part of the scheme.

“Discussions are ongoing with other tenants to join our anchor tenants, B&Q, Aldi and M&S Food Hall and we are excited to finally be bringing this new and vibrant retail park to the residents of Colchester.”

Gazette:

  • Picture: Readie Construction

DIY giant B&Q is moving from its current home in The Hythe to the new shop, which has been designed with a covered builders yard and improved garden centre.

Its old home is set to become a new Sainsbury’s supermarket for residents of The Hythe.

Aldi will be relocating from its nearby London Road store to the new unit, which is much larger.

Seven other units at the retail park are being marketed online to prospective tenants.

They range in size from 15,000 sq metres to 1,600 sq metres and several have mezzanine floors.

For updates on the scheme or to find out more about the development, visit stanepark.com.