Tesco store in Keynsham by end of next year

TESCO has vowed to build its new superstore in Keynsham by the end of next year.

It is more than eight years since the retails giants were granted outline planning permission for the St John’s Court site.

Speculation has been rife in the town that work would start on the site before the end of this year.

Under the existing Local Plan, the site had been earmarked for mixed use development with retail and housing.

In her report to the B&NES planning committee in July, council officer Rachel Le Huray said that the |Tesco and housing applications should have been received together but then went on to recommend approval.

Work has not been able to start on the site because a planning section 106 agreement had not been signed and that there were outstanding traffic issues.

But Tesco’s developers Deeley Freed Limited has exclusively told keynshampeople that it hopes to build the store by the end of next year.

Its spokesman Andrew Maltby, said: “We are in the process of finalizing the s.106 agreement and will only start on site when the document is signed by all parties. We would have liked to start in November but this was dependent on completing the s.106 agreement. Our construction period is about 10 months giving us a store opening date projected to be late next year.

“There are some design issues outstanding on the highway works, these have to be resolved ahead of the store opening.”

A Eurospar store opened in Keynsham High Street recently after the firm took over the existing Somerfield premises from owners Co-op.