Detailed designs for a new branch of Ridgeons in the town have been submitted to the district council.

Detailed designs for a new branch of Ridgeons in the town have been submitted to the district council.

The first phase of the 32 acres redevelopment at the timber and builders’ merchants on Ashdon Road will provide a new branch in Saffron Walden and an improved access road to the site.

The development as a whole was granted outline planning permission in November 2014, and will also deliver up to 167 homes, a hotel and a restaurant or pub.

It will be business as usual at the old branch of Ridgeons until the new one opens, which should be in summer 2016.

Angela Rushforth, managing director of Ridgeons, said:

“In the outline planning application approved, the first phase of development was to be a number of the new homes at the entrance to the site.

“However, on the basis of our pressing business needs and the importance of our Saffron Walden business, we have decided to focus instead on prioritising our new Ridgeons branch as the first phase of development.

“We remain more committed than ever to safeguarding future jobs and maintaining a successful builders’ merchants business in the town through the wholesale regeneration of this important site.”

A decision is expected to be reached by the end of May, and work should start on this phase this summer.

The other phases of the development will also need to be granted detailed planning permission on an individual basis before work can commence.