A Marks and Spencer superstore has moved a step closer to opening after plans were submitted by the retail giant.

An application to build the shop at Eclipse Retail Park in Maidstone, near J7 of the M20, was submitted on Tuesday following consultations and exhibitions.

The two-storey unit, which will include a food hall, homeware section, café and 282 car parking spaces, had originally been teed up by Waitrose in May 2017 before they pulled out.

More than 300 people gave positive feedback following a public exhibition for Marks and Spencer which was hosted at the nearby Hilton Hotel, on Bearsted Road, in February.

Leaflets with information on plans and a tear-off feedback form, were delivered to 8,100 homes around Eclipse Park including areas such as Penenden Heath, Vinters Park, Bearsted and north Maidstone.

While 304 out of 339 people showed an enthusiasm for the development, some people were worried the new retail unit would have a negative impact on traffic levels in the area.

Another concern raised was that of insufficient car parking spaces and the subsequent risk of parking nearby roads.

Around 300 full and part time jobs will be created thanks to the new store opening while staff from one of their shops in Week Street will be transferred before it is closed.

In a planning statement for Marks and Spencer it read: “M&S currently operate from two stores in the town centre on Week Street. One store is freehold and the other a leasehold with the lease expiring in 2022.

“The intention is that the leasehold store will close either at the end of the lease or, ideally, to allow staff to transfer to the new store at Eclipse Park.

“Operationally, having two stores within a town centre is far from ideal. There have been six closures announced in the M&S portfolio already where satellite stores operate in the same town.

“The intention would be to significantly improve the freehold store opposite Fremlin Walk and it would continue to sell clothing and food as well as having a café.”

Developer Gallagher Properties and the supermarket chain say the new store will have a “striking” appearance, incorporating Kentish ragstone.

Marks and Spencer had originally stated that they were hoping to start building in summer 2018 and envisaged opening the store in the summer of autumn of 2019.