Tesco has revealed it is planning to make the store it has earmarked for the Cottam Hall Brickworks scheme one of its new "eco-stores."

This would see the store clad in cedar wood and equipped with solar panels, a small wind turbine and heating systems designed to harness evironmentally-friendly renewable sources.

The plans for the brickworks, which could generate more than 700 jobs, also include a marina, residential apartments, commercial properties and a five-acre nature reserve.

North West corporate affairs manager Tony Fletcher, of Tesco, said: "These stores are designed to be in keeping with the local environment and we feel that the Cottam Hall site is one which would benefit from this design. It would be constructed with recyclable material and, where possible, we would use solar panel cells to capture light, possibly a small wind turbine and doing everything we can to make the store environmentally friendly."

The developments follow a £100m investment by Tesco into experimental store design, which has come up with the 'eco-store' idea which it is keen to roll out across the country.

People will be able to see the full plans for the development, which is being led by Cottam Hall Properties, at a public exhibition starting on Friday.

Representatives of the developers and Tesco will be on hand to discuss their ideas for the project at the event which runs from 9am to 7pm and from 9am to noon tomorrow at the INTAG community hall in Whitby Avenue, Preston.

Building firm John Turner & Sons conducted a survey within the community, which voted 91% in favour of the redevelopment of the former brickworks.

Chairman Ian Rankin, of Cottam Hall Properties, said: "It will also give them a chance to raise any of their concerns and have them answered by a panel of professionals including myself." They hope to submit a planning application in April.