New supermarket will create 70 jobs

A supermarket giant has unveiled plans for a major new store in the Black Country which will create 70 new jobs.

Morrisons wants to demolish its existing store in Kingswinford, and replace it with a new 40,000sq ft development.

Under the plans, the new supermarket would be built on disused industrial land next to the present store in Stallings Lane. The old store would continue trading until construction of the new building had been completed. It would then be demolished and the land used to expand the car park.

A new petrol filling station would also be built at the site as part of the proposals.

Nearly 300 part and full-time staff presently employed at the supermarket would be transferred to the new building.

The 70 jobs created would be entirely new positions and add to the existing workforce.

Officials today said plans had yet to be submitted to Dudley Council for consideration as they first wanted to get the opinions of residents living nearby.

An exhibition will be held in a marquee at the existing store's car park on January 10 between 9.30am and 7.30pm for people to see the plans.

The firm wants residents to attend and talk over the proposed scheme with staff and address any concerns they may have.

Staff will be on hand to answer questions and people will be invited to make comments which will be considered before the final plans are sent to Dudley Council.

Bosses said the existing store was a conversion made when the firm took over the site from Safeway and was now outdated.

It is not yet known when the plans will be submitted.

Development executive for Morrisons James Brook said: "Our aim is to build a bigger and more modern store for Kingswinford.

"The new development will be purpose-built to match the latest designs and layouts at our branches.

"The end result of the project will be a larger store, providing a new and improved range of goods and services."