SAINSBURY'S has pulled the plug on plans to build a temporary store on a Redhill car park while its supermarket undergoes major redevelopment.
Only four months ago, Sainsbury's announced proposals to have a food outlet sited on the Gloucester Road car park for 18 months, because keeping its London Road supermarket open during construction would result in a slower, more complicated and expensive building programme.
But now the supermarket says ditching the temporary store plan and renovating the existing store in stages while keeping it open to customers is the "best option to minimise disruption".
Despite the change of plan, the regeneration of the Warwick Quadrant is on track.
Businesses in Lombard House are currently moving to new offices, and its demolition is scheduled for autumn.
Work to build the new supermarket, 68-room hotel – set to be a Travelodge – gym and town centre car park is expected to begin in early 2015 at this site. The key parts of the plan are expected to be finished by the middle of 2016.
Councillor Natalie Bramhall, regeneration chief at Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, said: "We're pleased that Sainsbury's and [Lombard House leaseholders] Aviva have confirmed their commitment to progressing the redevelopment of this important regeneration scheme and look forward to work on the redevelopment getting under way.
"We have been in detailed discussions with Sainsbury's over recent months about the potential for a temporary store at our Gloucester Road car park.
"After carefully weighing up the options, this way forward will cause less disruption for residents living in and around Gloucester Road, as well as shoppers and workers who use the car park on a regular basis.
"Retaining the store's existing town centre location will also be more convenient for store customers."
Colin Rimmer, Sainsbury's development surveyor, said: "We are pleased that the project is moving ahead and are looking forward to providing Redhill with a fantastic new Sainsbury's store in the near future.
"In the meantime, our existing store will remain open throughout construction for the benefit of our customers."
Up to 350 full and part-time jobs are set to be created at the new Sainsbury's store as well as additional job opportunities at the hotel and gym.
