WORK has started on the new £5million extension at a top Wychbold garden centre.

Builders are putting in place the steel structure forming the backbone of the extension at Webbs of Wychbold.

The work will add an extra 62,000 square feet of new covered retail space - trebling the existing area and making Webbs one of the largest independent garden centres in the UK.

The expansion will allow it to increase facilities for customers such as extending the size of the restaurant, improving the till facilities and trading space for successful departments as well as introducing new product ranges.

More than 5,000 tonnes of earth will be excavated from the site and around 200 tonnes of new steel is being used in the building project. The steel forming the sides and roof of the building are expected to be in place by the middle of November and the roof covered by the end of January.

Viewing areas

Over the coming months shoppers and gardeners will be able to see the new building grow through special safe viewing areas.

It is expected the area will be open to customers mid summer next year.

The expansion will also be good news on the employment front with an extra 70 retail positions being created.

Managing director Ed Webb said: "It's very exciting to see the new areas take shape and move from the drawing board to the site. Many of our loyal customers have been shopping at Webbs for years and are very interested to watch the new building develop."