Supermarket jobs boost for town

The plans will be submitted to the council in the next few weeks

A supermarket giant has unveiled plans to bring £20m of investment and hundreds of jobs to a South Lanarkshire town.

Asda wants to build a 60,000 sq ft store on the Queensway in East Kilbride.

The proposed development would create about 350 full and part-time jobs.

A planning application is due to be submitted to South Lanarkshire Council in the next few weeks. There will also be a public consultation.

Philip Bartram, Asda property communications manager for Scotland, said: "We are excited about our plans to bring a new store to East Kilbride.

"Our proposals will provide choice on where to carry out a supermarket shop and bring Asda's famous low prices to the people of East Kilbride."

More competition

East Kilbride councillor, John Anderson, told the BBC Scotland news website: "This proposed development is good news for the town.

"I would welcome a new store that would give people more choice about where to get their weekly shop.

"It's on a brown-field site that at the moment is a complete mess. It would be great to see that redeveloped."

He added: "I imagine there will be some objections from local shop-keepers but on the whole I think people in East Kilbride will welcome a new store."