ONLINE supermarket Ocado has given the Hampshire jobs market a huge boost by announcing it is creating 700 jobs at a new depot.

Its distribution warehouse is due to open in Andover early next year Recruitment for many roles has already started.

Based in Walworth Business Park, the five-floor, 240,000 square foot centre will be home to 95 Ocado vans, a dedicated tractor park and 22 trailers.

It will have an operating capacity of 70,000 orders per week and will feature the latest Ocado IT systems and advanced technology solutions.

The opening of the third distribution centre has been fuelled by the retailer's expansion, led by soaring consumer demand and the boom in online grocery shopping.

In its recent Q3 financial results, Ocado announced a sales growth of 17.3 per cent, with gross sales of £272 million in the 12 weeks to August 9 and it now serves more than 471,000 customers.

Andover has been chosen because its prime location and good road links.

There are a variety of vacancies available including for personal shoppers, drivers, operational managers, engineers, as well as support roles in HR, IT, and health & safety.

The majority of the roles are for personal shoppers, who receive pack and load customers' orders using highly advanced technical systems.

There are also roles for LGV drivers and Customer Service Team Members (CSTMS). These are drivers who deliver shopping into customers' homes throughout the week and during all seasons.

Julie Markey, director of HR at Ocado said: “The opening of our third CFC marks a significant stage in the company's development and we're thrilled to announce the creation of 700 new permanent jobs in Andover as a result. We've been rapidly expanding our business over the past year, and these new recruits, at all levels, will be the driving force behind our next stage of growth.

“We're committed to helping all our staff shape a long and exciting future at Ocado by providing them with the support and training they need. We plan to establish an Ocado Employee Council early on in Andover, as the opinions of our employees are really valuable to us and will help us with the set-up and running of our newest CFC. We also already have many schemes in place which recognise loyalty and commitment.”