The owner of Braintree Retail Park has submitted plans for further development to the site.

Williams Group has submitted a screening request to Braintree Council in order to build a new 20,000sq ft retail unit, roughly half the size of a football pitch, off Millennium Way.

The new unit will sit next to the new premises being built for B&Q - plans for which were approved in July 2017.

Both will share a car park of 265 spaces, with a mezzanine floor within the new building providing an extra 18,550sq ft of retail space.

A planning statement reads: "It is proposed that 80 per cent of the floor space would be used for sale purposes and the remaining 20 per cent for storage and ‘back of house’ purposes.

"The proposal will make use of the new access which is to be created from Millennium Way to serve the neighbouring approved DIY store."

It is not yet clear what business will occupy the premises, however it will not be a food outlet or supermarket.

A spokesman for Williams Group said it was working closely with Braintree Council on the plans, with an application set to follow later this year.

Braintree Council has 21 days to decided whether or not an environmental impact assessment should be conducted into the proposals.