These photos show just how close Sheppey is to having its own retail park.

Our photographer Darren Small has captured the transformation under way at Neats Court.

Emma Grove reports.

The £30m transformation at Neats Court has been progressing at a fast pace since developer LXB Retail Properties and contractor Kier were given access to the site in Queenborough last year.

Building work on the Morrisons store and KFC drive-through is now finished and Kier has handed over to another contractor,NB he didnt know the name which will fit out the inside of the buildings.

Work has started on the petrol station, which will be built next to the fast food restaurant at the site, off Thomsett Way.

The project is ahead of schedule, with the garage and KFC to open as early as Saturday, July 20. It is estimated the supermarket will start trading at the beginning of September.

As well as a family pub, there will be a number of other shops.

Businesses already confirmed for that side of the development include Pets at Home and home furnishings chain B&M Stores, which have agreed terms to set up, and advanced discussions are going on with Poundland.

Swale council approved the plans for the second phase of the retail park, which will create an extra 150 jobs, earlier this month.

These included proposals for a further eight non-food shops, three restaurants and four trade counter units.

An assessment of the potential impact new stores would have on existing ones in Sheerness has been carried out by council officers and it concluded they would have an adverse but not significant effect.

As part of the overall development, LXB has agreed to pay £100,000 towards the regeneration of Sheerness town centre on completion of the project.

Kier construction foreman David Sandhu said: “It’s been a fantastic project really. Very fast paced.”