FAQ's
1) What can we expect?
The proposed store represents a new generation of smaller Sainsbury’s supermarkets, designed to meet weekly food shopping needs in market towns and growing communities. The Manningtree Park store will provide a convenient, accessible place for a full grocery shop, helping reduce the need for residents to travel to Colchester or Ipswich.
The store will focus on a high-quality, great-value food offer centred on fresh produce and everyday essentials, with a limited non-food range to ensure it complements Manningtree town centre.
An in-store Click & Collect point will allow customers to collect online orders from Sainsbury’s, Tu and Habitat alongside their grocery shopping.
2) How big will the store be?
The proposed supermarket will be a modern, small-format store with a gross internal area of around 1,563 sqm and a net sales area of approximately 930 sqm. This scale has been carefully considered to meet local needs while remaining appropriate for its location.
3) Where is the site?
The store will be located within the Manningtree Park development, on land to the west of Clacton Road. It will be easily accessible by car, on foot and by bike, with new pedestrian routes linking the store to surrounding homes.
4) How many jobs will be created?
The new store is expected to create around 60 full- and part-time jobs, offering a range of roles with training and career development opportunities. Sainsbury’s is committed to employing locally wherever possible.
5) How many parking spaces will be made available?
Customer parking for around 105 spaces will be provided, including disabled and parent & child bays located close to the store entrance, as well as electric vehicle charging points. Cycle parking will also be available to support sustainable travel.
6) How will the store contribute towards sustainability and be energy efficient?
Sainsbury’s is committed to becoming Net Zero in its operations by 2035, and the Manningtree Park store will contribute to this ambition. The proposals include a range of sustainability measures such as rooftop solar panels, energy-efficient LED lighting, highly insulated building materials and water-saving technologies. The store will operate without natural gas and will be designed to encourage walking, cycling and electric vehicle use.
7) What happens next?
We are hosting an information event on the proposals on Thursday 8th January 2026 and will be welcoming feedback from the local community. All comments will be reviewed and used to help refine the scheme ahead of submitting a full planning application to Tendring District Council. The application will be supported by detailed technical assessments, and there will be further opportunities to follow the project’s progress as it moves through the planning process.