Ocado has received approval for a Nottinghamshire distribution hub, in a move that is expected to create hundreds of jobs.

A statement filed with Rushcliffe Borough Council said the online supermarket has identified the location as a “key area where the demand for goods is high, yet the existing availability of distribution hubs is low, which ultimately affects the service Ocado is able to provide to the customer and results in long wait times for groceries”.

The approval is to occupy a unit at Fairham, a landmark mixed-use project of 3,000 homes and one million sq ft of employment space, south of Nottingham, Insider Media reported.

Planning documents indicated that the new centre could lead to 422 new roles being created, including 358 van drivers, 24 marshallers, 17 office staff, and five maintenance workers.

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The centre is expected to house docking areas, fuel pumps, CCTV, and a vehicle washing facility.

The statement continued: “The objective of Ocado is to occupy this unit, and serve the wider Nottingham area, providing an essential service for residents.”

It is understood that Plot B2 within the Fairham development will be used as a ‘spoke’ facility – operated as a last mile distribution centre, rather than a warehouse.

The council concluded that the development was expected to have minimal impact on the surrounding area once landscaping was completed.

A spokesperson for Ocado said: “We are pleased that the local council have approved our plans for a new distribution centre as we deliver to even more customers.

“While work has not yet started, the site will be up and running in the autumn, bringing with it hundreds of new jobs to the area.”