Marks & Spencer for Thurmaston?

A planning application has been submitted to Charnwood Borough Council for a single storey extension to Unit 8 at Thurmaston Shopping Centre.
The application includes an extension to the ground floor at the rear of the store and the construction of a mezzanine floor to accommodate food storage and staff areas. Until recently Unit 8 was occupied by Shoe Zone but current trading conditions has led to the closure of the store.
If the application is successful Marks & Spencer would like to trade their ‘Simply Food’ store at the shopping centre which would be opened by September 2010. It is anticipated that the store would provide 10 to 4 full time and up to 60 part time jobs. At their January meeting Thurmaston Parish Council voted to write to Charnwood Borough Council strongly opposing any more development in the area until the existing traffic problems were addressed.