THE multi-million pound development of Lowestoft's South Quay area has received a welcome boost with supermarket giant Asda announcing plans for a new store on the site.

By David Lennard

THE multi-million pound development of Lowestoft's South Quay area has received a welcome boost with supermarket giant Asda announcing plans for a new store on the site.

If plans for the new store are approved, it will be the first Asda store in north Suffolk - although the company is well established in other parts of East Anglia with stores at Ipswich, Norwich and Great Yarmouth.

Work has now started on clearing the site, off Belvedere Road, and with some existing buildings due to be demolished, it is likely to continue for another six or eight weeks.

Outline planning permission for a supermarket-type store on the site was agreed by Waveney District Council's planning committee last year.

Yesterday a spokesman for Asda said: “While we have only just submitted detailed plans for the new store we are very excited that development of this key site has taken a significant step forward.

“Asda has wanted a store in Lowestoft for many years now and we are - subject to planning of course - looking forward to being able to bring our legendary value and unbeatable service to the town as soon as we can.”

As well as providing an opportunity for people in Lowestoft, the company spokesman said the proposed new store would also serve other towns and villages in the area including Halesworth and Southwold.

It is also possible that the new store could be used as a base to provide Asda's home-delivery service via the internet to people living in north Suffolk who cannot get to Lowestoft.

The proposed new store would be 7,000 square metres and the plans also include a 730-space car park and five designer outlet stores on the site.

A spokesman for Waveney District Council said: “Asda have sent us their initial thoughts and we have negotiated a river boardwalk around the store.

“From the planners point of view it is a difficult site as it is double fronted by the road and river.”

The application is likely to be discussed by members of the district council's Lowestoft area development control committee in January or February next year.

The proposed new store is the latest in several applications for supermarkets in north Suffolk.

A new Tesco store is currently being built on the site of the William Clowes printing works in the centre of Beccles and is due to open next year.

Meanwhile, developers have also applied for planning permission to build a new supermarket in the centre of Halesworth.

It is not yet known which supermarket chain is behind the bid and it is likely the application will be debated by district council planners early in the New Year.