SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has unveiled a new design for its proposed Huddersfield store.

Tesco said the latest design followed “extensive” consultation with interested parties and had been drawn up in direct response to feedback on an earlier design.

The new Tesco Extra store will be part of a £120m regeneration of Southgate, which will also see the demolition of Huddersfield Sports Centre and the Ibbotson and Lonsbrough Flats along with the redevelopment of the existing Tesco store site at Viaduct Street to provide shops, offices, flats and a hotel.

The development also includes building a replacement sports centre – with Springwood the favoured site.

Tesco claims the redevelopment scheme would create more than 600 jobs, including 270 extra store jobs to add to 300 existing staff and 350 jobs at the redeveloped Viaduct Street site.

Neil Skitt, corporate affairs manager at Tesco, said: “Our proposal for the new store in Huddersfield and the associated regeneration is major and our priority, therefore, is to get the design absolutely right.

“This latest redesign is in direct response to our extensive consultation and demonstrates that Tesco is 100% committed to making sure that the views of local people and stakeholders are taken on board.”

A major change to the original design has been to lower the canopy on the new store following concerns that the proposed canopy was too high.

Tesco said the change would make the building less imposing without taking away any of the features of the boulevard below the canopy.

The new design also introduces stone cladding – which will be provided by local quarries – to the front of the store to make the appearance more in line with existing buildings in the area.

Clr Ken Sims, cabinet member for regeneration at Kirklees Council, welcomed the new look.

He said: “This latest design shows that Tesco has been listening extensively to the views of local people and really shows the benefits of the public consultation process.”

But he stressed: “We are still in the consultation period, so this latest design could change again to take additional views into account.”