BOSSES from the UK's leading supermarket are hoping to open a new multi-million pound store in Congleton by next spring.

The Tesco supermarket earmarked for land alongside the Clayton Bypass will cost between £8million and £10million, and create 225 jobs for local people.

Work on the 36,000 square foot store looks set to start in the next few weeks subject to the scheme receiving the thumbs up from Environment Secretary John Prescott.

Borough councillors gave their unanimous support this week to the project, which needs to be rubber stamped by the Department of Environment before construction can start.

The Tesco scheme is also supported by Congleton housewives, although a leading shopkeeper claimed the store would 'devastate' trade in the town centre and at West Heath shopping centre.

Cllr Ann Thomson said the Tesco proposal represented the most important application for Congleton ever to have come before the borough's regulatory committee, which discusses planning issues.

Many local people chose to do their shopping outside Congleton because there was no choice in town, she said, and numerous residents had written to her supporting the Tesco plans.

Council leader Rod Fletcher said the Tesco store would be very good for Congleton town and the surrounding area, and would complement the existing shops.

Cllr Bill Wolstencroft said Congleton faced fierce competition from neighbouring towns, and could not afford to be complacent, inward-looking or protectionist.

However he was concerned about the impact of the store on the town centre and West Heath shopping centre.

His worries were shared by centre butcher Steve Parry, who claimed the Tesco store would 'devastate' trade in the town.

"It will affect the town centre worse than at West Heath, where we have a lot of people who walk to the centre," he said.

"I cannot think of any benefits of having Tesco in Congleton, and most of the new jobs will be part-time."

Congleton Chamber of Trade president Ian Swann said the new store would attract shoppers back from Macclesfield and Kidsgrove, and hopefully draw other major companies to the town.

Independent retailers could not afford to trade in the High Street, he said, shoppers had changed their habits, and the new Tesco store should be 'embraced' and built as soon as possible.

The D of E's support for the scheme will end a five year bid by Tesco to open in Congleton.

The new supermarket would be one of Tesco's ultra-modern concept stores, featuring a long rectangular glass front and flat roof.