A DISCOUNT supermarket and a national fast food chain could open in Prudhoe if plans for a retail development in the town get given the green light.

This week a planning application was submitted to Northumberland County Council for a retail park in Low Prudhoe – with KFC, Aldi and B&M all shown in the plans.

An outline planning application, submitted by Northumberland Estates, for the 70,000 sq ft out-of-town retail park, was approved in November 2016.

It was to be located on two pieces of land south of Princess Way and was to include both food and non-food shops, a 60-bed hotel, two restaurants, a petrol station and hundreds of parking spaces.

This week’s reserved matters application gives an indication of the first detailed plans for the retail park relating to the first phase of development, which is on the eastern area of the site.

It includes a discount food store, labelled as Aldi on the site plan, which was submitted as part of the planning application.

The plans also identify another premises, which is referred to as a non-food retail store, as B&M, while a drive through restaurant site is shown with KFC signage.

A spokesman for KFC said discussions were still in their early stages in relation to the site, while Aldi and B&M did not comment on their involvement.

Another food store and space for a garden centre with external area were also drawn out in the plans, although no names are confirmed for either of these. There is also space for 439 car parking spaces and permission sought for a service area, landscaping and infrastructure works.

The news that a detailed planning application had been submitted was positively received as the details spread on social media. The application has been highly anticipated and hopes were high that there would be an affordable supermarket on the site, with the Co-op on Front Street being the town’s only supermarket currently.

County councillor for Prudhoe North, Coun. Ken Stow, said: “I am pleased with the proposed development and I look forward to seeing the plans in greater detail.

“A lot of consultation has been undertaken with local residents and the general feedback is that it’s a very welcome addition to Prudhoe.

“This development is going to create a number of jobs for people in the town and, because it will enable people to shop locally, it will reduce the number of car journeys and therefore will be good for the environment.”