The Asda superstore in Grantham has won planning approval for click-and-collect facilities.

South Kesteven District Council has backed a scheme for a three bay click and collect canopy, a canopy for 5 vans, new Home Shopping storage modular building and 1 new walkway canopy.

A report by SKDC planning staff said the site was already in use as a superstore and the proposal on the west of the site in the existing car park was acceptable.

It continued: "The proposed works are small in scale and would be located within a car park of an established retail/superstore.

"The works would not be readily visible from public vantage points beyond the car park serving the store, due to their scale and siting. The design and scale of the proposals would not cause an adverse impact to the character or appearance of the area."

As Nub News recently reported, the modular building would feature a new frozen and chilled store.

"The proposed works provide additional home shopping capacity through increased storage space with a new building. The new van bays will accommodate a total 4no. vans, currently the store does not have this facility."

Asda says home delivery and click-and-collect has been a growing part of its business since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

The planning application said: "Since the pandemic began earlier this year, we expanded our capacity for home deliveries from serving 450k customers a week to 700k customers, within just a matter of weeks.

"This included providing 'priority delivery passes' to nearly 200k vulnerable and elderly customers, who we continue to serve."

It added: "Our Click & Collect business has also quadrupled in the past 6 months and the requirement for the expansion of our drive-thru operations is clear.

"Customers can order online and drive through our collection points without entering a store, if they wish to do so (i.e. for ease, convenience and to remain safe in their vehicle)."