A huge expansion of a busy supermarket has been approved by planning officials.
Sainsbury's, in Stadium Way, Rayleigh Weir, is to grow to more than 45,000 sq ft after its proposals to demolish a nearby warehouse formally owned by Texas and to take over its adjacent land were approved.
This will be replaced by an extension for the supermarket, doubling the sales area of Sainsbury's and creating more than 150 extra parking spaces.
Castle Point Council planning committee chairman Bill Sharp said: "We were very impressed with the level of planning description provided by Sainsbury's and therefore felt comfortable giving permission for it to go ahead."
Recent studies have shown the expansion would allow Sainsbury's to compete with other retailers outside the borough in the A127, councillors were told by the director of planning Ian Burchill.
Mr Burchill had recommended councillors approve Sainsbury's plans on a number of grounds.
Published Wednesday August 4, 2004
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