MAJOR retailer Iceland has announced its intentions to open yet another store in the county.

In October the frozen-food chain opened a Food Warehouse at Whitebirk’s Peel Centre and plans have been revealed for a new unit in Burnley’s shopping centre.

But now it can also be revealed that permission has been granted for a third new store in the area, with officers at Rossendale Borough Council giving the green light for the discount retailer to set up shop at New Hall Hey Retail Park in Rawtenstall.

The supermarket is expected to open over the coming months, bringing with it 35 part-time and full-time job opportunities.

In total, the chain is thought to have made around 90 jobs available in East Lancashire with the opening of the three new stores.

The retail park is already home to a Marks and Spencer food outlet and an Aldi supermarket.

Speaking about the news, councillor for the Longholme ward, Joseph Stevens, said: “It’s always good to see new stores opening at the New Hall Hey site.

“There was a period under the previous council administration around ten years ago where the units weren’t being filled and I’m really happy with the progress that’s been made since then by the council in generating interest and fulfilling the potential of the site.

“The opening of Iceland in Rawtenstall will provide more consumer choice, which is always good for shoppers, and most importantly will bring more jobs into the area.

“These are important factors that I feel will benefit local people, so I am glad to see Iceland come into the area.”

The Food Warehouse, which has around 75 stores across Britain, is part of the Iceland Food Group and offers a wide range of frozen, chilled and fresh groceries.

At the time of the Whitebirk opening, ward councillor for the area Ken Moss said: “This is positive news. We have the Euro Garages Frontier Park development scheme and also the developments at the Peel Centre – it can only be a good thing.

“It is somewhere else to shop and there is good news of bringing jobs to the area.”

In 2018, Iceland became with first food chain in the UK to install reverse vending machines in a number of its stores.

The scheme allows customers to be rewarded every time they recycle a plastic bottle by issuing a voucher for 10p for each plastic bottle deposited.

Over its trial period in five stores, the company said 300,000 plastic bottles were collected.

The firm's sales last year rose by eight per cent.