The Range is already hiring staff for a new store in Ashford – even though its plans to convert the town's abandoned John Lewis site are yet to be approved.

The homeware giant revealed its intention of occupying the two-storey unit last year, just months after the prominent shop shut for good.

Bosses submitted plans to Ashford Borough Council to turn a section of the car park into a garden centre, increase the retail space, and expand the items it is allowed to sell.

These changes have not yet been approved however 13 out of the 95 jobs it says it will create have already been listed online.

The part-time and full-time positions include vacancies for a store manager, warehouse assistant, and cleaning and customer service assistants.

If approved, the new garden centre will be built to the side of the store taking up 16 parking spaces, reducing the total to 183.

Chiefs also want to construct two cold stores in the rear service yard which will be used to house frozen and chilled goods which it hopes to stock inside.

It is not currently clear if an Iceland will be included in the plans, but the frozen food chain already has a number of supermarkets inside branches of The Range.

Once open, the store, which sells mid-price home and garden products, will join 160 others nationwide and hopes to stock about 65,000 items.

The former John Lewis cafe on the mezzanine floor will remain.

Last year, the ex-Debenhams and M&S sites in the County Square shopping centre were considered by The Range but neither was deemed suitable.

The company had previously been linked to the yet-to-be-built 'Drovers Retail Park' which will sit next to the empty John Lewis site, but chiefs say their "primary focus" is on "second-hand" units which have become empty.

Home Bargains, which is currently based on the Warren Retail Park, is instead set to take the spot, joining a Costa Coffee drive-thru, vets and five other shops when the retail park is eventually built.

Even though John Lewis closed months ago, Stagecoach buses are still pulling up outside at a deserted bus stop which is covered in shattered glass.

Piles of rubbish have also formed on a disused roundabout exit and a broken tyre has been dumped in the bushes.

With no reasons for passengers to get off there, Ashford resident Susan Headech has likened the area to a "wasteland" and is questioning why the stop is still being used on routes.

She said: "The time and the diesel wasted in this pointless journey which involves stopping and going through four sets of traffic lights when most people are trying to help with the clean air act is beyond belief.

"The 10X bus which runs from Ashford to Maidstone and back again could run past Sainsbury's, M&S Foodhall and Home Bargains, which would be beneficial to Stagecoach passengers from Harrietsham, Lenham, Charing, Hothfield and people from Ashford town centre.

"No one from any of the above can shop in the mentioned stores unless you are a car owner."

A spokesman for Stagecoach said: "Withdrawing buses from this stop would require a change to the advertised timetable with knock-on effects for other local bus journeys that interwork with the route 10X service.

"We would seek to do this at the same time as a wider network change, to limit the impact on customers and resources.

"We understand there are plans for the premises to be used again for commercial or retail purposes and there may therefore be a requirement for a bus connection in the future."

KentOnline asked The Range about when it plans to open, but is yet to receive a response.