A HUGE new structure is taking shape in Yate. With a footprint of 150,000 square feet, the Tesco Extra supermarket will be one of the largest in the South West and will house its own opticians, pharmacy, photo and phone shop. Alexandra Womack went on site to see how building work on the biggest shop in Yate is coming along.

THE skyline in Yate town centre has changed dramatically in the past 18 months.

First came a new three-storey health centre, then a modernised public library and earlier this year a very purple new youth café rose skyward.

And in the last few weeks, no one can have failed to notice the giant steel structure of an extensive new supermarket and integrated car park taking shape within Yate Shopping Centre.

But to many people’s surprise, the framework of the Tesco Extra store, being built on the site of an outdated 30-year-old supermarket, is only half complete.

"It is about 55 per cent of the way there," said site manager for contractors ISG Pearce Richard Eames. "There is still another 45 per cent of steel work to go and in total we will use 1,800 tonnes of steel."

The new supermarket, which will boast 110,000 square feet of sales floor space, will see the southern external wall positioned close to Kennedy Way.

"It is all on schedule and flying up at the moment," said Mr Eames. "Internal work including mechanical, wiring and cable works, will start on June 20,the concrete flooring will go in the week afterwards and the timber cladding will go on July 4.

"The external glazing will also be going in soon and then people will start to see what it is going to look like."

The entirety of the old supermarket has been recycled on and off site including 8,000 tonnes which is being used to build the new store.

Seventy workers are currently on site but during the internal phase there will be up to 200 people involved in the construction project. Several hundred new jobs will be created when the supermarket opens.

The Tesco Extra store will feature 558 car parking spaces on ground level, with the main supermarket on first floor level including a Tesco Direct order and collection point, an opticians and a pharmacy and three separate new shops. Clothing and electrical departments will be located on a second flood mezzanine level along with an open plan photo shop and Tesco’s own phone outlet.

There will also be a 2,500 square feet restaurant, toilets and a community area.

Andrew Lowrey, manager of Yate Shopping Centre, said the building work had provided a real boost for the town.

"Seeing the structure go up has turned the negative of the demolition of the old store into a positive," he told the Gazette.

"This is what Yate needed and what Yate wanted and hopefully it will serve the town for the next 50 years. It is very good news for the community and the surrounding areas."

He added: "Yate is moving forward in this climate and we would like to thank all our customers for continuing to support our retailers throughout the development period."

The new supermarket is on schedule to open in the last week of October.