Asda confirms Northwich pre-let

Asda has signed an agreement with Cheshire West & Chester Council to open a 68,000 sq ft store in the Barons Quay development in central Northwich.

As tipped by Place in October , the supermarket giant will be one of two anchors in the £80m riverside scheme. Odeon is expected to be confirmed as the second anchor, for a five-screen cinema, in the coming weeks.

Cllr Herbert Manley, executive member for growth and innovation, said: "We are not quite there yet but I'm delighted to say that we have agreed terms and are finalising legal agreements with a major cinema operator."

Philip Bartram, senior property communications manager at Asda, said: "We have had aspirations to open an Asda store in Northwich for some time and look forward to these plans finally becoming reality in the near future."

The 430,000 sq ft council-funded project is due for completion in 2016. In addition to the cinema and superstore, Barons Quay will include a hotel, cafes and restaurants, shops and hundreds of car parking spaces.