A POPULAR supermarket is set to be demolished due to major structural problems.

The Morrison’s store, in Centenary Way, Little Clacton, is suffering from extensive cracking which has been caused due to inadequate protection for the foundations from the effects of the neighbouring belt of mature trees.

Blueprints have now been submitted to demolish the store, built in the mid 1990s, and build a temporary one in the car park.

It is expected the temporary store will be in used for less than a year while a new one is built at the site.

A report by the company said: “For some years it has become apparent that the existing store at Little Clacton has been suffering continuing structural problems, more recently diagnosed as inadequate protection for the foundations from the effects of the adjoining tree belt.

“Extensive examination has shown that there is no realistic alternative but to demolish and reconstruct the store with significant foundations to avoid a repetition of the present problems.

“This is the first step towards the rebuilding process."

Gazette:

  • A temporary store will be created in the car park

Separate plans will be submitted for the new store.

The report show that steel straps are currently in place on the south side of the building to support it due to extensive cracking in the brickwork caused by building movement.

The store added: “What is now proposed is a temporary retail food outlet to maintain a service to customers, while the replacement built.

“This proposal will provide a reduced, but extensive range of goods for householders to continue their weekly and daily shopping much as they have enjoyed for many years.”

Parish council chairman John Cutting said: “I believe the majority of people in Little Clacton use this store and I’ve never heard anything bad about Morrisons. I don’t have any problems about it being rebuilt if its within the site and in keeping with the area. As long as they don’t want to built 50 or 100 homes on top it, I don’t think it will make a big difference.”

Resident Rodney Fant said plans to cut disabled bays from 20 to nine during the works was not enough.

He said: “Clacton has an older population and the percentage of disability parking bays is disproportionate to the total number of parking bays. This will undoubtedly lead to problems.”

A decision on the plans will be made by Tendring Council in September.

Morrisons Little Clacton store manager, Daniel Oldland said: “We have exciting plans to bring a new look Morrisons store to Little Clacton which will replace the former Safeway building. 

“The new store will feature all the popular services our customers like such as the café and our butchery and bakery counters and have a new layout to make it simpler to shop.

"We look forward to submitting a planning application shortly and working with Tendring Council on the plans."