Richard Easton, Manager of Sainsbury's new Faversham superstore takes a look at building progress. Picture: Chris Davey.

by Sian Napier

snapier@thekmgroup.co.uk

Faversham's new Sainsbury’s in Bysing Wood Road opens in three weeks time when pupils from Davington Primary School will help with the celebrations.

The 31,421 sq ft store will be open for business on Wednesday, April 13. The site is about the same size as the one at Chestfield, near Whitstable and has been designed in an ecological and environmentally sustainable way, with many energy-saving features, including a biomass boiler which burns woodchip supplied by a local farmer.

Manager Richard Easton said the building was extremely well insulated and was being clad in cedar as a planning condition.

“I think it will look absolutely stunning when it is finished,” he said.

The store sits low in the ground and the site, which once contained a factory, will be extensively landscaped.

It will sell a full range of food and includes an in-store bakery, wet fish, meat and deli counters and hot food, including fresh pizzas.

The car park will have 264 spaces and there will also be a cash machine by the entrance.

Mr Easton said: “We have been talking to lots of people in Faversham and they are all really pleased that we have come here in Faversham."

The supermarket will also have facilities for cyclists - both staff and customers - and will employ 180 full and part time people. The company has tried to mainly recruit staff from within a five-mile radius of the store.

See more pictures in this week's Faversham News, out Thursday.