MORE than 350 people turned out to view the plans for a new Sainsbury s store in Ely on Friday and Saturday. Sainsbury s development executive for the East of England, Robert Oxley said the proposals for the state-of-the-art store in Lisle Lane, were met

MORE than 350 people turned out to view the plans for a new Sainsbury's store in Ely on Friday and Saturday. Sainsbury's development executive for the East of England, Robert Oxley said the proposals for the state-of-the-art store in Lisle Lane, were met with enthusiasm from members of the public.

"We will now start sifting through exhibition questionnaire comments as we flesh out the proposals ahead of submitting a planning application. We will also continue discussions with the council, community groups and other stakeholders."

If the Sainsbury plan is given the go-ahead it could create more than 300 jobs for the local area. The proposal, earmarked on the old Ely Chemical Company site, will include a 470 space car park and a Sainsbury's will provide a shuttle bus service into the city centre. There will also be new traffic lights and improvements to the junctions close to the site, which has stood empty for some time.

District council leader Fred Brown has welcomed the news after telling the Ely Standard he thought Sainsbury's would be an asset to the city.

The Ely Standard understands that if a planning application is submitted in the next few weeks it could be decided as early as September.

To view an artist impression of what the store, thought to be the most modern and innovative in the country, could look like, go to: www.elystandard24.co.uk

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