WORK to build one of the biggest branches of Sainsbury’s in the country in Stanway will start this month.

Planning requirements and legal agreements have delayed plans for the store at Tollgate.

Bosses had hoped work would begin in January and the store would be open for Christmas, but that is still possible.

Daniel Watts, director of the Tollgate Partnership, said it had been waiting for a financial agreement, which sees cash injected back into the community as part of the development, to be agreed.

Jobless Colchester residents will be interviewed for a percentage of the posts at the store under the agreement.

Mr Watts said: “We have received the planning documents, so we hope work can begin in the next couple of weeks.

“Sainsbury’s are starting to set up and we have a 32-week programme of work.

“They had wanted to open on December 1, but that would mean starting work next Monday, which I don’t think will be happening.

“Hopefully, it will be the week after that. Sainsbury’s are very keen to open early in December.

“To capitalise on the Christmas trade, you have to be open early in the month really.”

At just under 150,000 sq ft, the new Sainsbury’s will dwarf the Tesco supermarket at High Woods, which is 116,000 sq ft.

The new superstore will replace the existing store at Tollgate, which the company says at 107,639 sq ft, is too small.

The new store will have an improved in-store bakery, customer restaurant and 875 parking spaces, as well as an associated filling station and a home delivery service.

The site is between London Road and Essex Yeomanry Way. Staff will move from the existing store, with around 100 new jobs up for grabs.