A hypermarket twice the size of Tesco in Ocotal Way is due to be opened in Swindon by the end of next year.

The superstore run by Asda-Walmart will be the second of its kind in the country, and will form part of the new district centre for North Swindon.

More than 1,000 jobs could be created by the development, which also includes a health centre, library, smaller shops, and ambulance and police stations.

At a planning meeting on Monday night, members of Swindon Council are expected to give the go-ahead for the scheme on the 15-acre site between Haydon End Lane and Lady Lane.

Subject to planning permission, a garden centre, creche, public square, cafes, restaurants, play area and three giant car parks could also be constructed.

But there are concerns about the centre's impact on other shops, especially those in Swindon town centre.

Jean Saunders, of Swindon Friends of the Earth, said: "We are scared about what this development will do to the retail trade in Swindon and neighbouring towns. We have called for Swindon Council to do a retail impact assessment to look at the potential effect of something of that size on Swindon town centre as well as Highworth, Cricklade, Lechlade and Faringdon.

"Asda-Walmart is proposing 1,900 free car parking spaces, which will encourage shoppers away from places like the town centre where parking is deemed to be difficult."

But Swindon Council's Martin Trewhella, who is responsible for overseeing the Northern Sector development, said the size of the district centre had been set in stone by the Government several years ago, and that councillors had little power to change it.

"Councillors may well be concerned at the scale of the proposed retail development a concern that is shared by council officers," he said.

"But the scale is effectively a legacy of the original decision of the Secretary of State in 1989, who was minded to grant outline planning permission for the entire Haydon Sector Development, following a major public inquiry."

To cope with the amount of traffic, the proposed Northern Orbital Road will be extended to provide the main access to the district centre.

The superstore could be open 24 hours a day, although delivery times may be limited to reduce noise for people living nearby.

Like the Asda-Walmart hypermarket in Bristol, it will employ around 800 people. More than 200 others will have jobs elsewhere in the centre.

If the district centre is given planning permission, the hypermarket could be open for trading by December 2001, and the rest should be completed six months later.

There are no plans to close the existing Asda supermarket in West Swindon, because the company says it serves a different area.

Around 360,000 sq ft will be used for retail, including the superstore, up to 17 smaller units for banks, cafes, hairdressers and so on, retail warehouses and a garden centre.

In other words, it will

contain a similar amount of retail floorspace as Greenbridge Retail Park, and the superstore will be approximately twice the size of the main Tesco in Swindon which is the largest Tesco supermarket in the South West.

The main part of the development will be around 15m high roughly twice that of most houses in the area. But designers say the buildings will be of varying heights to avoid creating one large "building mass".

A youth centre of up to 1,000 sq ft may be built by Asda and run by Swindon Council, subject to negotiations between the two. And a health and fitness club might occupy part of the first floor.

But the heart of the district centre will be a public square. As well as bus stops serving the complex, there will be a children's play area, seating and sculptured water feature.

It is envisaged that markets will take place on the square, as well as displays from local artists.

In the plans there is provision for a small community police station, but it is the

decision of Wiltshire Constabulary whether to take up the offer.

The supermarket company has also agreed to provide an area and small building for police cars and ambulances serving North Swindon.

Swindon police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "We are in the preliminary stages of discussions at the moment. We have had talks with the developers and we are still in the early stages, but we are keen on the idea.

"If we can put a police presence in an area it can only be a good thing."

The architects have promised contemporary buildings with dramatic geometry, constructed from high quality modern materials.

On Monday night councillors will be told that "the concept is to create a clean and calm environment, without clutter, but one that has an underlying richness and vitality".

Building on rural land will inevitably disturb the local wildlife, but a protected nature area to the north of the development could be created. Great crested newts from the proposed site have already been moved there, and slowworms have been relocated to Moulden Hill Country Park.

Badgers should be protected because the existing setts will be marked, and in some cases the animals will be moved to conservation zones.

The development of North Swindon was decided in the 1980s. The first phase included Abbey Meads, St Andrew's Ridge and Taw Hill More than 3,000 families now live in these areas and another 1,500 homes are planned.

The second phase of the development, on 260 acres to the west of Lady Lane, received outline planning permission in June this year and up to 5,500 homes will be created there, as well as the district centre.

Swindon councillors for the area had mixed reactions to the proposals. Ian Dobie (Con, Haydon Wick) said: "It is absolutely essential for the area in the long term. The Northern Sector development is 40 per cent complete and when it is finished it will be a major urban conurbation.

"Without a district centre people will have to go to the town centre or to other retail centres, but this will be within easy reach of people living in North Swindon and will cut down on the use of cars."

Coun Brenda Craven (Con, Haydon Wick) cautiously welcomed the development. "In the main it will be good for people because it will bring choice in where they can shop," she said.

"I use a wheelchair, so having a major retail centre nearby will be handy for me. People worry about the effects on other shops but I think a bit of competition can be good for consumers."

But Coun Charles Lister (Con, Abbey Meads) said: "I think it will kill the town centre facilities.

"If you are going to have out of town shopping centres with free car parking, what does this mean for town centre shopping?"

n Members of the public will have a chance to see the detailed plans and a model of the centre at the planning meeting on Monday, which starts at 7pm in the Civic Offices, Euclid Street.