By Dave GooderhamA MAJOR supermarket being built in a market town could open with limited car parking spaces, if a district council gives the go-ahead.

By Dave Gooderham

A MAJOR supermarket being built in a market town could open with limited car parking spaces, if a district council gives the go-ahead.

Bosses at Waitrose have asked Forest Heath District Council to allow its new store in Newmarket to open before the car park is completed.

They are concerned the new store, on land off Fred Archer Way and Fordham Road, could be ready to open before the last piece of land for the car park becomes available.

Although a condition was attached by the council to ensure the 238-space car park was opened at the same time as the store, some of the land set to be used for parking is still being occupied by the town's fire station in Exeter Road.

A new £1million town fire station is under construction in Willie Snaith Road - financed by Waitrose in exchange for the existing fire station site - but store bosses are concerned Suffolk Fire Service may not have moved in time for the supermarket's planned opening in October.

They have applied to Forest Heath District Council for the planning condition to be lifted so that the store could open with 169 parking spaces.

At the same time Waitrose wants to be able to keep open the temporary public car park, which it is paying for, on the nearby Severals Green until the store's full number of parking spaces is provided.

n The go-ahead has been given for a redevelopment of a shopping parade in Great Cornard.

The work on the Poplar Road complex - which will include new shops and private flats for rent - is expected to start early next year, subject to planning permission being granted, and be completed in 2007.

Babergh District Council's strategy committee has given the go-ahead for the redevelopment and planning permission will now be sought.

Council chairman, Sue Wigglesworth, said: "It is an exciting project and one that will be of great benefit to the community.

"Over the years the shopping parade has become run-down. The building of new shops, a community resource and more housing will provide a much-needed boost to the area."

dave.gooderham@eadt.co.uk