A POTENTIAL multi-million pound superstore in a south east Ipswich estate moved a step closer today after retail giant Asda sought permission to begin work on the development.

A POTENTIAL multi-million pound superstore in a south east Ipswich estate moved a step closer today after retail giant Asda sought permission to begin work on the development.

Up to 400 jobs could be created if borough chiefs approve Asda's planning application to build the 65,000 square feet store in Sandyhill Lane, off Landseer Road.

The intention is for the store and a 450-space car park to be situated on the former Norsk Hydro site which had previously been used by Fison's.

If the new single-storey store is given the go-ahead, the company has said it will put in a roundabout at the junction of Hawke Road and Sandy Hill Lane for customer access to its car park.

A further service access road will be created in Sandy Hill Lane for delivery lorries.

Planners are due to make their decision by July 31.

Asda, a subsidiary of American giant Wal-Mart, had hoped to be on site by early 2007 enabling the store to open before the end of the year, but it is now more likely the opening date will be closer to summer 2008.

The scale of the store has increased from the initial plans, which detailed a 39,000sq ft development, making it bigger than Asda's existing superstore in Goddard Road, Whitehouse.

More than half of the proposed Sandyhill Lane store would be set aside for food with the remainder selling household and leisure goods, along with clothes from the company's George range.

Asda is currently developing a smaller store in Stoke Park Drive. This and the Sandyhill Lane store are said to represent a £40 million pound investment by the company.

Do you support Asda's bid to build a store in south east Ipswich? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk