THE Range has submitted a planning application for its controversial southern distribution centre and retail unit in Chippenham.

The storage and distribution centre, service yards and retail unit for the discount furniture store is proposed on 18.6 hectares of land north of the A350 West Cepen Way.

Plans now available on the Wiltshire Council website reveal the shop will have a mezzanine floor, outside garden centre area and 250 parking spaces with road access off the A350.

A 3m high acoustic fence is planned to run between the storage and distribution centre, which will have 74 loading bays, and the retail unit.

The proposed development is expected to create around 1,000 jobs, with around 100 in the retail unit.

More than 170 people have signed a petition objecting to the centre, which has a target opening date of mid-2016.

Allington resident Elizabeth Kennedy has said: “Instead of having a beautiful rural view Cepen Park residents are going to get a monster of a building. And Allington is a conservation area.”

The Range has said that the centre's location would enable staff to get to and from work easily, as well as it being a distribution hub. 

Comments on the proposals are open until Thursday, January 8.