A RETAIL giant is set to open a new store in a unit at Braintree Shopping Park, creating dozens of jobs.

TJX UK, owner of TK Maxx, has applied to install signs on one unit within the retail park and is advertising jobs for store assistants at a new Braintree opening.

The building is next to M&S Simply Food and used to be home to Carpet Right, which has moved into a separate unit in the retail park.

Work is currently ongoing at the 3,000sq ft store, which is located close to designer outlet Freeport.

Ward councillor Andrew Hensman (Conservative, Braintree Central and Beckers Green) said the new retailer would add to the already strong mix of shops on the business park.

He said: “I think it can only be good news for the district.

“Any large scale retailers coming to the town is good news.

“I would hope it might have a knock on effect and bring more retailers to the Braintree District.

“Hopefully it can be something of a turning point for retailers in the town.”

TK Maxx is part of TJX Companies, who run several retail chains in the US and across Europe.

The company has built a name for itself selling high-quality and designer brands at discount prices as well as offering homewares, shoes and accessories.

Liz Storey, chairman of Braintree Town Team, said the continued success of the retail park was not necessarily contributing to problems in the town centre.

She said: “I think it is fantastic news. It means more jobs for the area and more reasons to come to the district from outside.

“Bearing in mind that a lot of the visitors to Freeport and the Braintree Retail Park come from outside the district already.

“When people say it will harm the town it is not true, it is the lack of people bothering to visit the town that does that.

“Unfortunately the town will get no new retailers without people going in to spend money on what is already there.

“At the moment the town is not as attractive to people in the area because of problems with things like parking. Having said that I think TK Maxx is a retail park kind of retailer as well.”

The first TK Maxx in the UK opened in Bristol in 1994 and there are now more than 350 across the country and in Ireland.

Andy Farrow, owner of Chameleon Costumes, said: “Anything like this is good news for Braintree.

“It is not going to have an effect on the town centre so much but it is going to bring designer products at better prices which is what people want. I think it will be popular and anything that brings people into the district is good.”

It is not yet known how many jobs will be on offer at the store. Job adverts for sales assistants in Braintree have already been advertised.

A spokesman for TK Maxx said they knew customers would be excited by the prospect of a store in Braintree but they could not give any more information at this stage whilst plans were being finalised.

American Golf is also undergoing refurbishment and is temporarily closed.