Plans have been unveiled for a new Waitrose on a Maidstone business park.

The high-end supermarket will be built on the park and ride at Eclipse Park off junction 7 of the M20 and is expected to bring more than 200 jobs to the town.

Site owners Gallagher Properties revealed the proposal this week, with an application expected to be lodged by early March and an opening date set for early 2018.

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If the bid is successful it will mark a completion of the company’s vision for 16-acre Eclipse Park.

“This is very exciting for the people of Maidstone as there is not a lot of commercial development going on." — Nick Yandle

While a hotel and three office blocks are yet to be built, Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) has green-lighted the plans, although Gallagher admits interest from potential occupiers has been limited.

The one-storey supermarket and 300-bay car park will sit on the 550-space park and ride site, which is due to close on Saturday, February 6.

Gallagher Group chief executive Nick Yandle met with Boxley Parish Council on Monday to discuss the proposal and with MBC on Tuesday.

He said the reaction had been largely positive, with the main concern relating to a potential increase in traffic.

VIDEO: New Waitrose for Maidstone. Suz Elvey reports

But he added Waitrose would have little to no affect on congestion, with shoppers dispersed throughout the day as opposed to being concentrated during rush-hour like park and ride users.

The supermarket chain already has a store in Castle Road, Allington, but it is hoped the new development, which will be twice the size, will attract customers from Bearsted, Vinters Park and Grove Green.

A branch of Waitrose was included in Land Securities’ bid to develop neighbouring Newnham Court Shopping Village, which was rejected in 2014.

Mr Yandle said: “This is very exciting for the people of Maidstone as there is not a lot of commercial development going on.

“The volume of debate in the borough is about housing and commercial development seems to be a poor relation both politically and on the ground.”

No additional bus services will be provided to the site, although the plans will include two stops either side of Bearsted Road by the park's entrance.

Mr Yandle said Gallagher had been in discussions with Arriva and the estimated maximum number of people using the bus to get to Waitrose was 50 every day, which is not enough to justify an extra service.

However, a new bus service does form part of nearby Kent Medical Campus’ expansion plans.

This will disappoint Cllr Dave Naghi, of East Ward where Eclipse Park is located.

He said: “If this development goes ahead I will be wanting to see a new bus route serving Vinters Park, the retail park and Grove Green, in order to get people to and from the shops.

"With the loss of the park and ride people in those parts of the borough don’t have a direct bus service linking them to the town centre. I will be asking for the developer to put forward a sum of money to be put towards a bus service.”

The announcement comes more than a year after Next opened on Eclipse Park, bringing at least 100 jobs to the site.

A public exhibition of the plans will be held at the park’s site office on Friday, February 5, from 12pm to 8pm, while from Monday more information will be available at www.waitrosemaidstone.co.uk