A NEW supermarket in Yate is taking shape this week, having reached a major stage in the eight-month development.

The steel frame of the forthcoming Tesco Extra store is being erected in Yate Shopping Centre, giving shoppers the first glimpse of how the 110,499 square feet shop will look.

Contractors ISG Pearce are building the massive structure from the north, where part of the supermarket will be on stilts above extra car parking, south towards Kennedy Way.

The construction coincides with three weeks of major gas and drainage works being carried out in preparation for the new extended store, being built on the site of Tesco’s outdated supermarket.

The works are now underway in the northern car park, adjacent to the temporary Tesco store which has been opened while the new supermarket is built, and will mean some car parking spaces are out of use.

Yate Shopping Centre manager Andrew Lowrey said disruption was being kept to a minimum.

He said: "We will be working to keep disruption to a minimum but there will be a temporary loss of a few car parking spaces during the early part of the works."

Demolition of the old store, which closed to customers in February, is now complete. All the timber, metal and cardboard has remained on site and is being recycled for use on the new store.

Added Mr Lowrey: "The old Tesco has now been demolished and work is starting this week on erecting the steelwork for the new store. We are still on target for an October opening.

"The full construction programme is outlined in the latest newsletter which is being circulated this week."

Perimeter wall cladding and roofing to the new store is due to be in place on part of the new store by the end of this month.

Further details on the works programme are available to view at www.yateshoppingcentre.co.uk