FRESH from the announcement about building the world s first zero-carbon store in Ramsey, Tesco has this week revealed further job-boosting plans for the town. A spokesman for the supermarket told The Hunts Post yesterday (Tuesday) that the firm had pl

FRESH from the announcement about building the world's "first zero-carbon store" in Ramsey, Tesco has this week revealed further job-boosting plans for the town.

A spokesman for the supermarket told The Hunts Post yesterday (Tuesday) that the firm had plans to create a 16-acre business park on the edge of town.

A draft planning application for the business park has been submitted to Huntingdonshire District Council with a full application expected within a few months.

The development will include offices, car showrooms, a children's nursery and industrial units and would be built just north of the proposed Tesco store in Stocking Fen Road.

"This is an exciting time for Ramsey," said the spokesman. "Not only will our first zero-carbon store be built in the town but more jobs will be created with the establishment of this business park."

Tesco was given the final go-head to build its zero-carbon store in Ramsey by Huntingdonshire District Council's development management panel on Monday (June 15).

Planners also gave the supermarket chain permission to build a community centre and housing in Ramsey - despite some objections about the lack of parking facilities for the centre.

The town's timber-framed eco store will create 225 jobs and include a wind turbine and toilets that flush using rainwater.

There will also be a combined heat and power plant to create surplus energy to sell back to the grid and energy efficient lighting.

"We chose Ramsey as the site of the world's first zero-carbon store because we felt it was a good rural location," said a spokesman. "We want to be able to test the performance of the building by comparing it to our stores in urban locations that have eco-features including Manchester and Scotland."

Building work is due to start straightaway on the store with it opening to the public by Christmas.