"GREAT progress" is being on the construction of a £60 million retail park, which will feature big name brands like M&S, Aldi and B&Q.

Readie Construction, which is working on Stane Retail Park on behalf of Church Manor Estates, has posted an update on Twitter.

The firm says once complete the retail park along with Tollgate will "become one of the top ten retail clusters in the UK".

Readie Construction posted on Twitter: "We’re making great progress at Stane Retail Park, in Colchester for The Churchmanor Estates Company plc.

"Stane Retail Park will join the wider Tollgate retail development, situated adjacent to the A12; and once completed will become one of the top ten retail clusters in the UK."

The development is set to open this autumn once works are complete.

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

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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.

Roadworks are currently underway on the junction, with road closures in place in the area.

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 will be available 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.