Supermarket giant Tesco looks set to dominate the Braintree area, with plans to open its third store near the town.

There are two stores - in Braintree town centre and in Great Notley - but a planning application has been submitted to the district council, to build a further one at Marks Farm, Coggeshall Road.

Andy Butcher from the planning department at the council, commented: "It is all part of developing the Kings Acre estate, which has about 1,000 houses on it.

"There are still people that have to be talked to and need to see the plans though."

The application for the estate was first put through in 1989, and this consisted of plans to put a store there in the near future.

Spokesperson for Tesco, Carol Chandler, said: "This new development will not be a superstore, just one of our normal stores you find in towns. The size of the store will be about 20,000 square feet, where as our superstores are about 25,000 square feet.

"There will be no other items on sale except food, and there will be no garage, crche or cafeteria.

"It will be aimed at people who are living in a ten minute radius, which is not what a superstore does. The opening of the new store will also create about 220 new jobs."

Braintree Chamber of Trade has said it has no opposition to the store being built, as the plans say that it will not be a superstore.

George Shiffner, secretary of the chamber, said: "We have no objections for a community store to serve the people on the estate which is to be built."

The application will go before a committee at a meeting in October, after discussions with groups such as the highways agency and Anglian Water.

If the store goes ahead, it will be in line with the new Freeport designer outlet village, which opens to the public in November and has vacancies for up to 1,000 jobs.

Sean Collidge, chief executive of Freeport Leisure PLC, said: "The impact on Braintree and the surrounding areas will be considerable, bringing increased job opportunities, especially in the fashion retail and service sectors."

More information about job availability is available from Braintree Job Centre on 01376 303132

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