HIGH-END supermarket Waitrose and clothes outlet Next could arrive in Maldon as early as next year.
A planning application was submitted to Maldon District Council on Friday (September 19) by Aquila Developments Ltd, which hopes to develop a patch of land where the Brooks Brothers timber yard currently stands on The Causeway in Maldon.
The new development proposes a new Waitrose food store, a Next department store, a "range of non-food outlets", as well as restaurants and a hotel.
The planned Waitrose store is the latest supermarket to show an interest in the town after Lidl held a consultation about opening a store in Station Road in June, Morrisons Local applied for an alcohol licence for the former post office on the High Street in January, and Tesco continues their transformation of The Cups pub in Wantz Road.
But Gill Crawford, 46, from campaign group 'Keep Maldon Unique' doesn't seem deterred by the idea of yet another supermarket arriving in the town.
She told the Chronicle: "We are not that worried about the new Waitrose store coming to Maldon. The difference with this development is that it will not be on the High Street, so parking and deliveries would not be too damaging to the town.
"You could say do we need another supermarket after Tesco taking over The Cups, and the proposed takeover of the old post office on the High Street, but Waitrose does offer something different.
"Those are historic buildings with character, whereas at the moment this new site is just an old timber yard."
Maldon already has a Morrison's superstore on Wycke Hill, a Tesco Express in Fullbridge, a Marks & Spencer, Costcutter and Iceland on the High Street and an Asda in nearby Heybridge.
Owner of the Emporium, and member of the Maldon Business Association, Mary Powell added: "As an association, we welcome new businesses to the local economy if it will benefit the town and the High Street.
"It is a fact that people will travel from out of the area to go to shops like Waitrose or Next and may keep people from Maldon travelling elsewhere."
Aquila estimates that the new development could create up to 200 jobs, while the timber yard will be relocated to the Blackwater trading estate.
Maldon District Council will consider the plans in the coming weeks, but deputy leader Cllr Miriam Lewis believes that the new development would fit in with the council's vision.
She said: "Planning requirements will still have to be satisfied but to see such major players are keen to have a presence in the town is clear indication that the Maldon district is a good place to invest in."
Tony Chambers, chairman of Aquila, said: "We have been seeking to deliver an attractive, viable development on this important site within the council's Causeway regeneration area for some time and have drawn up a number of schemes over the years.
"We are delighted now to bring forward proposals that will deliver a food offer of the highest quality and will also secure some of the non-food provision the town so desperately needs to combat the growing competition from nearby centres.
"Keeping shoppers in the town and to stop pound-leakage to other centres is a vital part of planning for its future."
Aquila is currently working on a new retail scheme in Chelmsford city centre, with a flagship John Lewis store to open as part of the much-anticipated Bond Street development there.
