A developer is celebrating the completion of the first phase of a £65m retail park in Colchester.

Churchmanor Estates said it was delighted at finishing phase 1 of Stane Retail Park. The 173,000sq ft site has already welcomed top retailers B&Q and Aldi which enjoyed record sales figures post-launch, it said.

In early March 2022, M&S Food Hall is set to join them when it opens.

Occupants for two new kiosk buildings which have taken shape have yet to be revealed.

The B&Q unit is designed as one of the first of the DIY chain’s new generation stores to include a covered builder’s yard and large improved garden centre.

Both the Aldi and the M&S Food Hall retail units are able to provide the full range of their respective retail offers. Aldi decided to move to the new site after outgrowing its Lexden store.

The developer, which has been based in Ipswich for 35 years, specialises in commercial developments for major institutions and landowners.

Head of communications Emma Proctor King said: “We are thrilled that both B&Q and Aldi have now opened at Stane Retail Park. As a company we have supported the growth of Colchester since 1989 when we built Colchester Business Park and we now hope that our new retail park together with the long overdue highway improvements that we have completed mean a new and improved retail offer for the Stanway and Colchester communities.”

As part of the construction works at Stane Retail Park, Churchmanor spent £2.6m on improvements to the Eight Ash Green A12 roundabout with a new four way traffic signal junction and the widening of the Western Bypass to two lanes between Essex Yeomanry Way and the Sainsbury’s roundabout.