THE layout of the large new Tesco store and village hall for Caister finally went on display to the public last week.The plans for the new store, almost double the size of the existing Yarmouth Road outlet, were unveiled at Caister Village Hall on Monday and attracted 150 residents eager to learn more about what the development would mean for the village.

THE layout of the large new Tesco store and village hall for Caister finally went on display to the public last week.

The plans for the new store, almost double the size of the existing Yarmouth Road outlet, were unveiled at Caister Village Hall on Monday and attracted 150 residents eager to learn more about what the development would mean for the village.

Representatives from store developers Tamsland, including the company's director Nick Wright, and parish councillors answered villagers' questions about the new 50,000sq ft supermarket and �1m village hall on parish council land near the existing Tesco.

The new store, which could be built with timber cladding, will occupy an area of grassland on the other side of the access road to the current supermarket and car park, and behind Caister Youth Centre in Yarmouth Road.

The youth centre will be demolished and replaced with the new village hall, while the existing Tesco will also be demolished and the car park extended to take up the former store's site, creating parking capacity for 350 cars.

The entrance to the new premises will face the access road, which will remain, so customers travelling by car will have to cross the road to get to the supermarket.

Mr Wright said although the new store was larger, much of this increase will be storage space and wider aisles to provide more room for customers than the current store, which is considered to be cramped especially during the summer months when it is packed with holidaymakers.

He said: “We are building the new store to meet Tesco's requirements for a much more comfortable and more modern shopping environment. The current supermarket can be overcrowded at times with narrow aisles.”

The village hall will be bigger and more modern than the current Yarmouth Road hall, which is considered old and dilapidated, boasting a 200 seater hall for public meetings and entertainment, a dedicated parish council office and facilities for more than 30 village clubs and organisations.

A 68 space car park will also be provided along with hard surfacing for sports activities.

Villager Peter Horrocks, 61, of Carter Close, was pleased with the plans because his wife Rosemary, 59, worked for the parish council and would have better facilities to work in.

He said: “I think it is a really good idea and a good thing for Caister to get an opportunity like this to have a new village centre.”

However, Guy Gibson, 44, of Yarmouth Road, was concerned he would be affected by noise because his home backed on to the Tesco site and he already had problems with delivery drivers hooting their lorry horns upon arrival early in the morning.

He said: “It is going to affect us quite a bit. We already get a lot of noise from Tesco late at night, especially with lorries beeping their horns. As they seem to be moving the store even closer to us I think there is going to be even more noise.”

The developers hope to submit a planning application for the scheme early in the New Year, with a view to having the store and hall completed by early 2012.