THESE are the first pictures of a new ‘environmentally-friendly’ Tesco superstore set to open in Padiham.

The 30,000 square feet ‘eco store’ could be opened in Wyre Street by the super-market giant as soon as 2011.

The supermarket would be just yards from the Tesco Express store, in Sowerby Street, and next to the town’s former Baxi site.

Tesco said up to 150 new jobs would be created for the town.

Bosses hope the store will lure Padiham shoppers who use supermarkets in Burnley and Clitheroe back to the town.

If built, the new supermarket would be one of the firm’s new eco stores, designed to reduce Tesco’s carbon footprint.

Among the features would be:

  • Special windows in the roof allowing natural day-light through
  • Automatic dimmers on lights which turn down when natural light shines into the store
  • Roof vents allowing warm air to escape and cooler air to enter the supermarket
  • A rainwater catcher on the roof to help flush the store’s toilets
  • Improved in-store refrigerators
  • Heat and power systems that use waste from elect-ricity generation.

The proposed store would be built by Preston-based developer Maple Grove, which would have to relocate several businesses in the commercial units on the site.

Deborah Hayeems, from Tesco, said: “The store is being designed to a high environmental standard and would offer a great shopping experience for all of our customers.”

Baxi Heating UK was Padiham’s biggest employer until it closed in 2007 with the loss of 166 jobs.

Another 300 were offered positions in Preston.

Maple Grove said a planning application for the store would be submitted later this year.