A Sainsbury’s supermarket at Riverside Road in Sunderland and an Asda supermarket in Skelton, East Cleveland are now expected to be rubber-stamped by the Department of Communities and Local Government.

Construction on the new Sainsbury’s is expected to start mid 2012 with the store opening in Spring 2013.

Once complete, the store will offer 60,000 sq ft of sales area, a petrol filling station and 537 parking spaces.

The Asda development will comprise a new supermarket with a net sales area of 25,000 sq ft with 239 car spaces and a four pump petrol filling station.

Construction will get underway in the first quarter of 2012 and the store should be open by the end of next year.

Duncan McEwan, Head of Retail at Terrace Hill, said:  “These planning recommendations are a further demonstration of our ability to identify and source suitable sites for foodstore development.

“They also show how we are subsequently able to work with local residents and authorities, as well as major supermarket operators, to see these sites through the planning process, eventually delivering a product which not only creates value for our shareholders but provides an often much needed boost in services and investment to each of the local economies.”