250 jobs on the way if store wins consent

Posted by Simon Honeysett on Apr 30, 08 10:36 AM in News

PEOPLE seeking jobs in a former Northumberland pit town are being offered the prospect of a major employment boost as proposals for a £25m Asda store come closer.

The chain says 250 jobs would be created with the construction of the 24-hour store on the site of Portland Park, Ashington, the former home of the town football club.

The mixture of full and part time posts would be in addition to the 330 staff employed at the company's supermarket in nearby Lintonville, who would transfer to the new 53,000sq ft store.

Asda has applied for planning permission for the store and is hoping for a decision from Wansbeck District Council in the next three months. That could pave the way to open in summer 2009.

Yesterday Asda bosses said they were setting up a link with the Jobcentre Plus service to ensure local unemployed people and jobseekers benefit.

The proposed store is part of a 950-job project which also involves redevelopment of the present store's site and construction of a retail park by property company Terrace Hill. The Terrace Hill scheme envisages new shopping space, restaurants and cafes, an improved bus interchange and new homes.

Yesterday the company said it was setting up a Local Employment Partnership, in conjunction with Jobcentre Plus and Wansbeck Works, to make sure local people benefit from the 250 posts on offer. It will target people who have been out of work long term and those looking to return to work.

Asda property communications manager Philip Bartram said: "Our stores are part of the communities they serve and it's really important that local people benefit from new employment opportunities in the town. We will be working closely with Jobcentre Plus to ensure this happens.

"We always try to recruit staff locally and we believe the Ashington development will bring a significant jobs boost as well as regenerating the town centre and helping win back lost trade."

The new store would have a much bigger sales area, 500 car parking spaces, a customer cafe and a wider product range, including George fashion, music and video, electronic and homeware and a jewellery department.

The scheme has come in for criticism from some local traders who are worried about the effect the superstore would have on independent businesses. However, Asda says a bigger and better store is vital to retain shoppers and their spending power in Ashington.

The company says sustainable features planned for the superstore would cut its carbon footprint by 23%. They include automatic light dimming, heat reclamation and water-efficient taps.

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