Jobs joy as Sainsbury's wins backing for extension

Sainsbury's has won permission to extend its Wednesfield supermarket, bringing 80 full and part-time jobs. The move will include a new restaurant.

The news comes as Asda Living moved another step closer to opening a furniture and homeware store a few hundred yards away.

Permission has been given for a vacant unit neighbouring Next on Bentley Bridge Retail Park to sell more than just "bulky goods", paving the way for Asda Living to open and create 80 jobs.

Asda declined to comment today but planning officers at Wolverhampton City Council revealed the store giant had been named in "supporting information" as a possible tenant.

Under the Sainsbury's designs, a 21,600 sq ft extension with a restaurant, bakery and warehouse space will be created at its Rookery Street store, along with 74 new parking spaces.

The unit being eyed up by Asda Living has been empty since it was built in 2005.

The proposals were approved by the council's planning committee yesterday afternoon. Commitee chairwoman Councillor Judith Rowley said: "I welcome the employment opportunities this brings."

In other planning decisions, a £5 million GP surgery will be built on the site of the former Duke of York pub in Wednesfield Road, Heath Town.