Top restaurant chains including Nines and Taste of Italy will be setting up shop at a new development to the north of Colchester.

Developer Turnstone Estates has secured five new restaurants for Northern Gateway Leisure Park - also including El Guaca, Kaspa's and Slim Chickens.

The £70m park on a 10-acre site on the northern fringe of the city off the A12  at junction 28 is currently under construction.  

It will include a 12-screen Cineworld, a 20-lane bowling alley operated by Hollywood Bowl, a 90-bed Travelodge and a Puttstars' adventure golf centre being built.

Leases have been signed with Mexican operator El Guaca for a 3,305sq ft restaurnant, a 3,132sq ft unit for dessert specialist Kaspa’s and a 3,832sq ft space for global buffet company Nines.

Slim Chickens has secured the biggest space at 4,000sq ft and Italian food specialist Taste of Italy will occupy 2,131 sq ft.

Turnstone believes the casual dining outlets will complement the cinema and other offerings on site.

It has already secured deals with Kervan Kitchen and Wendy’s and Greggs drive-thru restaurants and has just two restaurant units left to lease. 

Turnstone managing director Chris Goldsmith said: “We are delighted to welcome these new tenants on board.

"Colchester Leisure Park’s fantastic location on the edge of this fast-growing city, adjacent to Colchester United FC’s JobServe Community Stadium and the recently opened Colchester Sports Park, has proved to have enormous appeal to many enterprising food and drink operators. 

"We look forward to the coming months as we move into the final phase to bring this landmark project to completion.” 

Colchester City Council deputy leader Mark Cory welcomed the latest signings as "great news" for the city.

"It is further evidence of the attraction our city holds as a great place to invest, visit, live and work," he said.

"We have been clear from the start that this new leisure park has no retail units and brings new businesses that are additional to the offer in our City.

"These new restaurants and leisure units add to the attraction of Colchester, bringing people from all over Essex, Suffolk and beyond.  

“I am delighted that this project is progressing so well, despite economic woes across the country, and I look forward to seeing more attractions opening their doors to the public in the coming months.” 

Colchester Leisure Park - now in the last stages of construction - forms part of the wider Northern Gateway development delivered by Colchester City Council.  

This includes the recently opened Northern Gateway Sports Park,  new homes, a healthcare hub and commercial space.