THIS is what the people of Leyland have been waiting to hear -- Towngate WILL be redeveloped, Tesco is DEFINITELY coming, and work on the new store will start in Autumn this year.

At a launch meeting at Lancashire Football Association in Thurston Road, the supermarket giant unveiled plans to build a £20m superstore in Southern Towngate, promising 700 jobs to unemployed people.

The 85,000 sq ft store will be on the 'eyesore' site of the former Food Giant supermarket and is expected to be open in summer next year.

The news ends months of speculation over whether the supermarket giant had pulled out of the deal to build a store in the town.

Cliff Hughes, portfolio holder for regeneration at South Ribble Borough Council, said: "As far as South Ribble Borough council are concerned this long awaited and much needed development is now the key to the regeneration of Leyland as a whole."

The new store is expected to be bigger than the one originally planned for the town -- huge, compared to the shop in Chorley -- and one of the supermarket chain's new Tesco Extra stores.

Up and down the country the supermarket giant has around 13 of these new 'hypermarket'-style stores which stock hundreds of items from food, home and garden equipment and clothing.

South Ribble MP David Borrow said: "For the past four years the issues that's always been on the lips of Leylanders has been when is Southern town going to be developed and when are Tesco going to start building their store. Today's news is excellent news for the town -- it will create hundreds of new jobs and attract a lot of shoppers which should benefit other traders in the town centre."

Jobs will be created through the Leyland Partnership which was formed to help break down the social barriers preventing unemployed people in Leyland getting jobs.

Martin Venning, Tesco UK regeneration project manager, said: "By working with partners including the Employment Service, South Ribble Borough Council, Runshaw College and the union USDAW, targeting those on benefits and those not registered for seeking work such as lone parents.

"Through its unique job guarantee scheme, people will be offered a position before they commence training and providing they attend the course and attain a predetermined performance level, they are guaranteed a job."

Claire Foreman, assistant principle for Runshaw College, Leyland -- which has been working with Tesco on training requirements -- added: "Through a new training programme that we have devised with Tesco, employees will be equipped with skills including, IT, retail-specific and basic skills that can be used in all areas of life."