WORK has started on the site for Blackwood's £20m Asda store, which is expected to open by Christmas next year.

The mammoth Asda scheme, which will see the creation of 350 jobs, is part of a larger development on Blackwood High Street by developers Chelverton.

The entire development, of which the Asda store is part, covers 15 acres on what was a former garage site and tip.

Asda says the sales area of the new store will be 40,000 sq ft, which is the average for its stores.

A spokeswoman said: "We are always looking for new opportunities and the site in Blackwood is ideal for our purposes, especially as it is a brownfield site which is what we look for as far as possible."

Recruitment has yet to start but Asda says it usually identifies key management staff prior to general recruitment.

l Caerphilly borough council says it plans to make Blackwood town centre one of the best shopping centres in South Wales.

And it says the 15-acre site to the north of the town centre is a huge step in that direction. Work on the £20 million development has started and should be completed by Christmas 2002.

The 40,000 sq ft Asda store will be joined by an additional 40,000 sq ft of new shop units along with a town square outside Blackwood Miners' Institute.

A council spokesman said: "The development, which will include 680 parking spaces and its own bus stops, will provide a dramatic northern gateway to the town with views over the valley and a series of town squares linked by ramps and steps up to High Street. "It will also provide at least 350 job opportunities for local people."

As well as the walkways from the new development to the town, the car park between William Street and High Street will be transformed.

"The disused railway embankment, on which the existing car park is situated, will be lowered and comprehensively upgraded to provide more parking spaces, service access to the rear of shops, CCTV, lighting and landscaping to provide an attractive, safe and secure environment.

"The privacy of homes in Williams Street, overlooked by the car park, will be protected by a fence and landscaping.

"In the years following this development a further three phases will be implemented, as resources become available.

"The existing Hall Street/High Street junction will be closed and traffic will use a new road link from lower Hall Street to the A4048.

"A new pedestrian route and civic space will then be created between the northern section of the car park and High Street."