BIG-NAME brands Home Bargains and Sports Direct are set to open up shop in Maldon this year, it has been revealed.

The two household name stores are to form part of the new Blackwater Retail Park on The Causeway, according to the firm promoting the remaining empty units there.

It is estimated the discount store and sports retailer will create around 60 jobs between them.

Home Bargains has 370 stores nationwide and posted a record £1bn turnover in 2013.

Sports Direct employs more than 20,000 workers.

They will join budget supermarket Aldi and clothes store Next when the development opens later this year.

A final shopping unit remains available on the site, along with one unit for a food outlet which could be split to allow three different retailers to set up shop.

Heybridge West councillor Ian Dobson welcomed the news the retailers were coming to town.

He said: “I think it is a vote of confidence for the district that big stores are looking to invest in Maldon and not just Chelmsford and Colchester.

“I think it brings jobs and it means people are going to spend their money in Maldon rather than other big towns.

“There is concern around the High Street and that needs to be monitored by the council.”

Chris Harvey, vice-chairman of Maldon Business Association, said some retailers were concerned about the impact the retail park would have on the town centre.

He said: “It is something we view with interest and some concern because anything like this can have an impact on the High Street particularly if some of these retail units are in direct competition with what is already in the High Street."

A spokesman for Aquila said he was unable to confirm which stores would be coming to the retail park.

Home Bargains declined to comment, while Sports Direct did not respond to a request for comment.