Tesco site’s 250 job plan
Thursday 26th February 2009, 8:00PM GMT.
Supermarket giant Tesco is on the verge of announcing plans for a major multi-million pound store in Rugeley which could create more than 250 jobs.
The Express & Star can reveal the company is in the final stages of drawing up a proposal for the town, which would include a 40,000sq ft supermarket with a 20,500 sq ft retail business next door.
The long-awaited store will be built on land at Leathermill Lane which Tesco already owns.
There will also be a petrol station and car park, also as part of the plans Cannock Chase Council would want a pedestrian footbridge linking the town centre to the supermarket.
It is thought the plan, which would be subject to the council granting planning permission, would open up land between the town centre and the supermarket for regeneration.
Tesco has already held discussions with planning officers at the council about the plans which could be announced as soon as April or May this year.
The plan will be widely welcomed in the town after a £20 million scheme in 2002 was rejected by Government ministers, despite widespread support in the district.
The key to the success of this latest project will rest on the adoption by the council of an action plan for Rugeley which includes the development of a foodstore on the site.
This could become council policy within a few months.
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
expressandstar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Yahho, just what we need; another large supermarket bleeding another town dry! Why do people thing these enormous supermarkets will bring anything other than noise, traffic and underage drinking to a town centre?
Report abuse
Suppose you like to pay through the nose for everything Rebecca? Can any one nowadays say they don’t use one of these places? Best thing that can happen to put new life into old towns. They use them Rebecca because it fits most peoples budget, and i suggest you get out more if thats what you think a supermarket does to a town. Tell me are you house bound Rebecca?
Report abuse
I live in Rugeley and the area they want to build on is on the edge of town where there are only other industries. They will not “bleed the town dry” because there is nothing here except Morrisons and Aldi and they are not very big. If you ask the residents of Rugeley quite a lot of them would appreciate a Tesco and many of them, if they can, go and shop out of Rugeley.
Report abuse
Its about time something other than a charity shop, card shop or bank was opened in Rugeley. Anyone with any sense can tell that Rugeley is a dying town and without some big names being encouraged into the town it will soon be lost. As an ex woolies employee i would jump at the chance to work for Tesco Welcome them and others may follow giving our town a new lese of life
Report abuse
Thankfully Rebecca is in the minority on this one. This type of development is certainly needed in Rugeley and if it had not been for interfering Ministers in Whitehall the store would have been up and running years ago. Tidying up a derelict site, providing much needed jobs and some competition for the existing retailers has to be a good thing.
Report abuse