A DRIVE to put people from Sherwood into new jobs at North Farm Retail Park, could see an end to unemployment on the estate.

By the autumn more than 300 jobs will be created when John Lewis and Marks and Spencer stores are opened in Kingstanding Way and Longfield Road, respectively.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is in discussions with the two international retailers about filling positions close to home and has arranged a recruitment fair at TN2 Community Centre.

The most recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show 3.2 per cent of people in Sherwood are unemployed.

This equates to 127 people and is the highest rate in the borough. Borough Councillor for Sherwood Frank Williams said: "If this clicks there should be zero unemployment in Sherwood.

"At a time like this, this is a terrific boost to the ward. We are dead lucky.

"I think the ideal worker for these jobs is somebody from Sherwood or High Brooms.

"I have done the walk from TN2 to Marks and Spencer and it took 16 minutes."

Mr Williams said the shift work available would be particularly suited to single parents on low incomes who were looking for less than 16 hours work a week.

"People looking for less than 16 hours should be able to find work and people looking for more than 16 hours should be able to find what they are looking for," Mr Williams added.

Borough council economic development officer Daryl Jones said: "We are actually keen to get four or five businesses from the estate to come here (Sherwood) to inform people about future opportunities. We want to link the community here to businesses at the retail park."

The recruitment event will be held at the TN2 Community Centre on July 29 where an advisor will also be in attendance to answer questions about benefit entitlement while in employment.

The time of the event is to be confirmed.