Building to begin at resort retail site

MAJOR RETAIL developments on the outskirts of Whitby will bring a huge boost to the area, councillors have said, with construction set to begin for new Marks & Spencer and Aldi stores in coming weeks.

A contractor has now been appointed to build the two supermarkets at the Fairfield Way site, with developers set to begin work in May.

At public consultation events last year, 91 per cent of respondents were in favour of the plans and such development, the council’s cabinet member for strategic planning has said, will ensure the town thrives and could help pave a vision for more leisure facilities at the expanding Whitby Business Park.

“The more we do to help people stop in town, the more our town will thrive,” said Coun Joe Plant. “It will be great for the residents and a lot of people are talking about it.

“The vision that I would like, and I have said it before, is that we should have a cinema and a bowling alley. We need more in the town for leisure and it saves on fuel and more people will stop in the town.”

Plans for the two supermarkets, bringing 100 new jobs, were granted by the borough council in December.

The Fairfield Way site will see the introduction of a 16,000 sq ft M&S Foodhall and a 16,920 sq ft Aldi. Developer Lateral Whitby said the stores would ensure local money was spent locally, with many people at present facing a 40-mile round trip to visit M&S or Aldi.