SKOWHEGAN -- The Wal-Mart store at the Fairgrounds Marketplace will soon be super-sized, increasing the store's size by about 25 percent.

The Skowhegan Planning Board recently gave company officials a green light for the project by approving the final permit plan, though other approvals from the state government are still pending.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Alexandra Serra said this week she didn't know when the project, which includes a 29,000-square-foot expansion to the 15-year-old building with a grocery section and a pharmacy, would begin construction. Serra has previously said that completion of the project is expected in 2010, taking eight to 10 months to complete.

"We're a ways out from it," Serra said Thursday.

Serra also said that an optical center is no longer planned as part of the expansion.

"We decided to expand the store because we are meeting the needs of the community," she said. "There was community demand for this expansion."

But not everyone is thrilled. Chris Wright of Solon said he drives by the entrance to the Wal-Mart, at a stoplight off U.S. Route 201, and thinks the expansion is unnecessary.

"The thing that bothers me the most about it is the effect big-box stores have on the character of the town; what they want is more traffic in their store, via an already tight spot," Wright said. "I don't think we need a larger store; I just don't think they add anything" to the community.

One thing the expansion will add are more jobs -- up to 100, company officials say.

Town Manager John Doucette thinks the expanded Wal-Mart "is a very positive thing for Skowhegan."

"It will pull a lot of people who shop in the Waterville area (that has a Wal-Mart Supercenter) back to Skowhegan," Doucette said, "and I think it's going to help the whole town, because it will keep business in tow. lus it's going to help in a competitive market with other businesses. It gives people more options."

Also in the same plaza, right beside Wal-Mart, is a Hannaford supermarket. Hannaford spokesman Michael Norton said it's "pretty normal for us to have competition in all our markets."

"Wal-Mart has been competing with most of our markets for the last 10, 15 years at least," Norton said.

The Planning Board's approval of the Skowhegan Wal-Mart expansion also signaled one of the first tests of Maine's Informed Growth Act, which requires towns that have received permit applications for large retail stores to determine if the development would have an "undue adverse impact" on the local economy, the community and its downtown.

Based on opposition to Wal-Mart projects in other communities, planning board members had initially thought the Wal-Mart approval would end up in court on appeal. But that didn't happen, said Town Planner Chris Huck.

"There were no significant obstacles," Huck said. "There were only routine, minor tweaks to the plan."

In the parking after making purchasing at the Wal-Mart on Wednesday were Sue and Ernie Giroux, who live in the rural town of Jackman, said they looked forward to the expansion.

"Cool," said Sue Giroux. "I'm anxious. We come over from Jackman ... it's an hour and a half trip. This is where we do our shopping. It will be nice for us, more convenient. It's going to help us."

Scott Monroe -- 861-9253

smonroe@centralmaine.com