The Tesco roundabout on the A2 is to be rebuilt with the store expected to foot the bill.

Modern traffic lights, a new slip road and a bus lane are among the improvements being planned.

They will be needed to cope with a growth in traffic to the Rainham Mark store when it becomes a hypermarket style Tesco Extra.

And if the traffic continues to grow, councillors decided this week, the supermarket giant will have to build a new junction for the store from Hoath Way.

They are among conditions agreed in return for granting planning permission to turn the supermarket to a new multi-product superstore.

Cllr Dorte Gilry (Lab), who lives nearby told Wednesday’s planning meeting of her concern at the impact of the new store on district shopping centres in Twydall, Rainham and Gillingham.

ButCllr David Brake (Con) said closure of the site would be an absolute catastrophe.

Cllr Tony Goulden (Lab) said: “Most of us welcome this. Tesco is a major employer, and it is excellent to see it doing so well.”

Tesco is shortly to ask to redevelop its Chatham and Strood stores with new premises, housing developments and improved parking.

It has also agreed that in addition to paying for the A2 road improvements, it will put up £300,000 for Gillingham town centre, fund bus improvements and additionally said it plans to improve its Rainham store.

The Rainham Mark development will extend on to the neighbouring Crest Packaging site with a new access road from the bus shelter on the A2 at Rainham Mark to a filling station.

The rest of the Crest site will be redeveloped for small shop and industrial units.