UP to 70 jobs could be created in Stowmarket in a £4m supermarket extension. If planning permission for the development of the Meadow Centre's Asda, on Wilkes Way, is given the go-ahead, the superstore's floor space could increase by a third.

UP to 70 jobs could be created in Stowmarket in a £4m supermarket extension.

If planning permission for the development of the Meadow Centre's Asda, on Wilkes Way, is given the go-ahead, the superstore's floor space could increase by a third.

Up to seventy jobs could be added to the 250 employees already working at the store.

Jeremy Fieldsend, a spokesperson for Asda, said that the 8,000 sq ft extension, which would increase the store to 30,000 sq ft, should improve customer service and create more space for shoppers to browse the shelves.

The application follows continuing development of the store as this week a new large music, television and DVD section is to be opened.

Mr Fieldsend said: "Asda have a number of planning applications over the country to extend a large number of stores.

"It is part of an overall programme to remain competitive to improve the quality of our stores and to be able to continue to offer excellent value of money to our customers.

"The sort of thing that it will include, will be wider isles and better customers facilities, like customer service desks, restaurants and toilets."

Mr Fieldsend stressed to customers and employees that the plans were still at the application stage and that they had a number of barriers to cross before the extension could be built.

He said: "We have to get planning permission first and then it will go in to a store development programme."

But Mr Fieldsend said that if the application was passed at the end of the year, Stowmarket could see the extension and new entrance being built at the end of 2003.

He added that the supermarket would most likely stay open during the proposed building work.