SAINSBURY’S has submitted its planning application for a new supermarket and country park in Whittlesey as the battle with rival developer Tesco intensifies.

The supermarket chain handed its plans for a 32,000sq ft store and a 54-acre country park to Fenland District Council this week - days after Tesco vowed to build a store on one of two sites in the town, creating 200 jobs.

Sainsbury’s has submitted a detailed application for the store and an outline application for the country park.

A separate application for an adjacent business park and community facilities has also been submitted by Sainsbury’s partners, March-based businessman’s company Whitacre Management Ltd.

It comes after almost 800 people scrutinised Sainsbury’s plans at a public exhibition last month.

The development, which would take place in the Eastrea Road area and create around 250 jobs, would also include a car-park with more than 400 spaces and a shuttle bus to and from Whittlesey.

The store would include a caf�, bakery, delicatessen, butcher and fresh fish counter and an online goods facility would be provided.

Tesco has announced its interest in the Eastrea Road site but it has also picked up permission on a site in Station Road.

Robert Oxley, Sainsbury’s Development Surveyor, said: “We were very happy to receive so much feedback on our proposals, the vast majority of which was positive. All of the comments were very useful to us as we finalised our plans for submission.

“If approved, the store would allow residents to shop locally for quality food and non-food products at great value, reducing the need to travel elsewhere to shop.”

Mr Smith, of Whitacre Management, said: “Our proposals for a business area for Whittlesey include office and employment space for light industrial uses, research facilities, financial and professional services, community facilities, restaurants and takeaways.

“Such uses will be a real boost for Whittlesey and contribute to the economic vitality of our town, regenerating a largely vacant site.

“We received a number of suggestions for what people would like to see as part of this

second phase of development and we are hopeful that the application will be approved so that we can bring much-needed facilities to Whittlesey.”

For more information visit www.sainsburys-whittlesey.co.uk, follow @WhittleseyJS on Twitter, call 0800 019 5878 or email info@sainsburys-whittlesey.co.uk