PLANS for a multi-million pound town centre superstore and shops, bringing 400 new jobs to Fleetwood, have been welcomed by Wyre Council chiefs.

Sheffield-based developer Dransfield Properties was holding an open day today (April 29) to publicise its proposed major new superstore, shops and petrol station on a site once occupied by an old gas works fronting Lord Street - the town's main shopping area.

The company calls it the Fleetwood Millennium Project - aiming to bring more shoppers to the port and boost the regeneration already under way with the Freeport shopping village and Docklands housing development.

Council leader Richard Anyon said: "We do welcome this application - the council's been concerned for some time about bridging the gap between the fast-developing Freeport and Docklands area and the traditional town centre."

The council had been aiming to develop this area through its Single Regeneration Budget in partnership with a private developer - and trying to attract big-name retailers back to Fleetwood: "The fact that they're interested in coming here is a significant change from a few years ago," he said.

Dransfield Properties - which has just won planning permission for a new Safeway store in St Annes - launched the scheme after conducting a shoppers' survey: 53 per cent of respondents said they went elsewhere for their main food shopping, mostly combining the trip with visits to other shops.

Residents' main priorities were a large, competitive supermarket, more variety of shops, a tidier town centre and improved car parking.

A company spokesman said: "A new food store and ancillary retail store on Lord Street will kick-start the much-needed process of rejuvenation in Fleetwood, thereby satisfying all of these aspirations.

"Once the number of shoppers in the town increases, other national retailers will be more likely to invest in the town and local retailers will also prosper."

Company managing director Mark Dransfield was presenting the plans and answering questions from the public during today's open day (April 29) at Wyre Council Regeneration Office, 187 Lord Street, from 11am to 7pm.

No name has yet been announced for the superstore, but it is expected to be one of the top four market leaders.

The scheme will come before Wyre planning committee within the next few months.

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