THE project to extend Bridgwater Retail Park and create a new road to access to it from The Drove and The Clink is creating jobs for local people, Sedgemoor District Council says.

Bath-based company, Soldi signed an agreement which said the company would work with Sedgemoor District Council on targets for job and training opportunities created for local people during the construction of the highways improvements and retail units.

Last month, Soldi reported that seven jobs had been created for local people during the project so far and that five week-long work placements had been organised in conjunction with Bridgwater and Taunton College.

It has already been announced that the new Lidl store, which is one of the units under construction by Soldi, will create up to 20 new jobs and other units set to occupy the site include Food Warehouse and Home Bargains.

Sedgemoor District Council, which is ranked joint first nationally by the government for its performance in processing major planning applications, currently has more than twenty local labour agreements with developers, making sure that as much of the benefit as possible from such projects is felt close to home.

Cllr Anne Fraser, portfolio holder for inward investment and growth at Sedgemoor, said: “We are extremely pleased to be able to see our pro-active policies bear fruit with the result that the growth and investment we are achieving is leading to more jobs for our residents.”

The Soldi built units are expected to be open in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, work is almost complete on the other side of the park on the eagerly awaited M&S Foodhall, which is due to open on Wednesday, June 20, at 10am.