SUPERMARKET giant Asda is hoping to move into Crawley town centre by next Christmas with the promise of 350 new jobs.

The Leeds-based firm has received backing from Crawley Council, subject to Government approval, to build a superstore at the back of the High Street, with parking for 468 cars.

The store would be built on a 7.9 acre site bordered by High Street, Pegler Way, Robinson Road and Spencers Road, together with flats, houses, offices and shops.

It would provide competition for the two superstores already established in the town, Sainsburys, in Queensway and in Crawley Avenue, West Green, and Tesco, in Hazelwick Avenue, Three Bridges.

A considerable portion of the land was cleared several years ago to make way for the now abandoned plan for a Horsham radial road. Remaining buildings, mostly commercial properties, will be demolished.

Recruitment for the 350 full and part-time jobs would start three to four months before the store opened its doors in December.

A council spokesman said the scheme would have to get final approval from the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, John Prescott, because of its size and because it was a departure from the 1993 Local Plan, which had not earmarked the site for development.

She expected it would take 28 days before they received a reply.

The application was madetogether with The Ifield Partnership, Hammerson Group and Gleeson Homes, which are involved in the planned development of 56 flats, 18 homes, offices and shops on the same site.

Asda town planning manager Alex Smith said: "We are delighted by Crawley Council's decision. Asda believes the planning committee's

support for our application will help regenerate this key town centre site, provide choice for shoppers and create jobs."

Asda spokesman Simon Hoare said the development would have a "courtyard atmosphere" with the two front houses facing Victoria Road

giving a gatehouse appearance.

The council received 12 letters objecting to the proposal from nearby residents worried about extra traffic and the threat to local shops.

There were also concerns that the planned social housing would be inappropriate to the area and that there would be a loss of character.

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