Sainsbury's is proposing to open a huge distribution centre on a new £24 million industrial park, it has been revealed.

The supermarket chain has submitted plans to erect signage on the side of one of the new buildings at the M2CityLink development on the Medway City Estate near Rochester.

A planning application is being considered by officers at Medway Council for an illuminated sign on the top of the building with a second non-lit sign next to the main entrance.

The unit is currently under construction and the park is nearing completion and will be used as a warehouse and distribution hub for the supermarket and Argos.

Other tenants on the park include Selco Builders Warehouse and trade supplier Wurth with construction expected to be finished next month, according to developers.

Planning documents state: "The signs have been sensitively designed so that they fulfil the requirement of Sainsbury's in identifying and advertising the presence of the store.

"The large external sign is proposed on the north face of the building to aid in visibility of the centre.

"The signs are appropriately sized for the building and will not result in visual clutter.

"Given the size and luminescence of the external signs they are not likely to any distraction to motorists or pedestrians passing."

Confirmation of Sainsbury's impending arrival brings a full circle to the company's links to the site.

The site, next to the McDonald's and Co-op petrol station off Anthonys Way, has been earmarked for development for 18 years, with plans first submitted in 2003 by B&Q.

Several variations to the plans were submitted in the following three years until Sainsbury's bought the site from the DIY firm and put forward its own scheme for a massive £5m superstore and park and ride in 2010.

The park and ride plans involved reclaiming land around the Whitewall Creek between the development site and A289 Vanguard Way.

But the scheme never progressed and Sainsbury's confirmed in 2015 it was scrapping its plans to build on the site.

Further applications for the land were submitted in 2016 and 2017 but never materialised after planning permission was granted on both occasions.

Maidstone-based L3P acquired the site from Sainsbury’s and pre-sold the development to a major British funding institution that will hold the completed investment.

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