The construction of Darwen’s first Tesco Express store is well under way and we now have more details about its opening date.

A spokesperson for Tesco said the new store is set to open at the beginning of 2024.

Pictures have emerged of construction taking place at the junction of the A666 Blackburn Road and Falcon Avenue.

The Tesco Express store will open on the site of the former Hollins Grove Liberal Club, which has now been demolished.

It will be the first Tesco store in Darwen.

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We’re excited to be planning a new store in Darwen, which we expect to open towards the beginning of 2024.

"We’ll keep the local community updated with our plans as we get closer to opening.”

In 2021, plans were submitted, and approved, to build a Co-op store on the site but these plans never materialised.

Earlier this year, Tesco revealed plans to build a shop on the site. In April, more details and plans emerged about the shop’s signage.

The adverts on the shop, which is set to have 16 parking spaces, were approved despite a hostile reaction and some negative comments.

The application said: "Application 10/21/0148 granted planning approval for the erection of a convenience store and 16 customer parking spaces. Advertisement consent is now sought for various advertisements.

"One projecting sign will be located off the front elevation of the proposed Tesco. The acrylic letters on the sign are proposed to be internally illuminated.

"Five fascia signs are proposed to be located on the convenience store.

"One freestanding pole mounted hello/goodbye sign will also be installed at the entrance/exit to the car park of the convenience store.

"A gantry sign measuring three metres in height will be situated at the junction of Falcon Avenue with Blackburn Road."

Commenters said the signs will be “too intrusive and look like a town centre large store instead of a local store in a residential area” and others worried that the signs will be “an eyesore on the landscape”.

A highways officer said the proposed "entrance pole mounted sign and gantry signage raised concerns".

They said: "The installation of the proposed advertisement signage, for the most part would be considered somewhat reasonable.

"However, the proposed siting of both the entrance pole mounted sign, and gantry signage does raises highway concerns [surrounding] inter-visibility for both vehicles and pedestrians.

"The applicant is advised to address such concerns, by providing visibility splays at both the access point and road junction between Falcon Street and Blackburn Road."