A BRAND new retail development at Cross Hands could see high street names joining the Leekes department store, providing jobs and boosting the local economy.

Emma Leeke, Managing Director of Leekes Retail, has confirmed that the Welsh family owned business have submitted an application to develop the upper part of the car park of their Cross Hands store into a retail terrace.

With a new food store plus seven other retail and food use shops, Cross Hands could be set to compete with popular out of town shopping centres such as Parc Troste in Llanelli and Fforest Fach, Swansea.

A planning application, submitted this week by RPS Planning and Development on behalf of Leekes Ltd, states that a number of national retailers have expressed interest in committing to long term lease agreements, which demonstrates “a clear demand” for a development in the area.”

The report claims that “the shopping is quality high street standard with a food store and other well known retailers occupying the retail terrace, all complemented by the existing Leekes store effectively acting as the anchor to the development.”

It adds that “a combination of various sized units will ensure a complementary mix of retailers that will offer a varied shopping experience.”

It is also stated that the proposal would generate approximately 116 full time equivalent jobs and halt the leak of expenditure from the town into other shopping destinations.

Leekes, which has recently celebrated its 30th anniversary with a £1m face-lift, was the first major occupier of the Cross Hands Business Park.

The plans show that discount food store will be built in the north-west end of the current car park with a row of seven units leading from there to the Leekes store.

Two smaller units or concessions will be built adjacent to the current car park entrance.

The supermarket will be a discount retailer’ according the plans, and would compete directly with the nearby Aldi and complement the business park’s Co-Operative store, leading many to link Lidl to the scheme.

Commenting on the company's plans, Emma said, "We have been trading from our store on Cross Hands Business Parc for over 30 years and are a significant local employer providing over 200 jobs from the Cross Hands store.

"We are keen to play our part in the regeneration of the area and have proposed that we utilise our excess car parking space to develop more retail units.

“We have received significant levels of interest from a wide range of retailers looking to open units in the area and provide further employment opportunities and will be working with the council's planning teams to create an appropriate scheme."