FEARS have been raised over the heavily delayed construction of a new Wickford supermarket.

A scheme to bulldoze the Co-op off Wickford High Street – which closed in May of 2022 – was approved in September of last year.

Developer Heriot UK was given permission to build a new supermarket in its place which would be leased to Morrisons.

When the project was approved, a spokesman for the developer said demolition of the former Co-op would begin in January with the new store opening “at the end of 2023 or early in 2024”.

Yet four months on and the former Co-op has yet to be knocked down.

With the Aldi branch in The Broadway closed until November for refurbishment, it leaves just the Iceland in High Street and the London Road Co-op as the only large supermarkets currently open in the town.

“We are anxious to see work begin as it was such big news the Morrisons was coming to the town,” Wickford North councillor Eunice Brockman told the Echo.

“With the Aldi also closed right now we don’t have great options for our weekly shop.

“I don’t know what is causing the hold-up, but hopefully we will hear an update from Heriot soon to assure us all is well.”

The Echo has questioned Heriot UK over when residents can expect work to begin; the firm declined to answer.

A source close to the deal told the Echo Morrisons was still keen to move into the site.

When contacted by the Echo, a spokesman for Morrisons said they could not confirm and dates or details on the pending demolition.

The scheme to renovate the supermarket will see parking spaces reduced from 329 to 255.

But the developer has pledged the 90 minutes free parking currently offered will be maintained for members of the public that make an in-store purchase.

The supermarket itself will create 117 full time jobs – 70 more than the former Co-op, according to Heriot UK.