Wates is set to grow its retail project portfolio with the appointment to deliver three large-scale fit-out contracts on behalf of Marks and Spencer (M&S) in Dundee, Uckfield, and Guildford. With a combined area of over 80,000 sq ft, the three contracts form part of M&S’s major investment to transform
National commercial property and investment company LCP, part of M Core, has acquired a busy edge-of-town retail park in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Weavers Wharf is a 220,000 sq ft retail park, just a few minutes’ walk from Kidderminster town centre, with anchor tenants Marks & Spencer, Next and TK Maxx, Café
The outlet, located in Wembley Park and now in its tenth year, has also recorded its sixth consecutive month of record-breaking trading as May figures topple over the £8m mark London Designer Outlet (LDO) today announces a bumper crop of upsizings at the capital’s leading fashion and lifestyle destination. Guess,
Landsec announced yesterday plans to invest significantly in its prime retail destinations to further enhance their positive growth outlook. The investment will be led by a £45m transformation plan for Gunwharf Quays, which will see the Portsmouth-based shopping outlet cement its position as the UK’s leading lifestyle waterfront destination. The
Work is underway on a new scheme in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, that will see the development of a new Lidl and Wickes store in the town. IMA Architects (IMA) is working with Clowes Developments to provide all architectural services and act as Principal Designer on the scheme. The company will
A new Sainsbury’s Local store will soon open at Princes Dock, Liverpool Waters to support the growing business and residential community around the dock. The 5,748 sq ft store will be located on William Jessop Way, beneath the 760 multi storey car park and will include a free cash machine
THE construction of a new supermarket in north Warrington is progressing to plan. A new Aldi store is being built on land off Europa Boulevard in Gemini – and the structure is starting to take shape. The plot of land looks unrecognisable from its former self after demolition crews moved
Krispy Kreme has opened at Manchester Arndale, joining a number of other food and beverage operators who have recently signed at the scheme. Taking a 3,700 sq ft unit on a 15-year lease, the doughnut and coffee chain will also feature a click-and-collect service. The new store continues the brand’s
Bespoke interiors and fitout company Konstruct has completed works on the striking new flagship store for contemporary fashion label RIXO on London’s King’s Road. The 5,000 square foot store opened its doors this week to unveil a stunning, vibrant interior with features including a coffee kiosk, cocktail bar and
Work on a major retail development including new Tesco and Home Bargains stores set to open next year is now underway. The new £20m development at Houghton Colliery is set to bring around 100 new jobs to the area. A 45,000sq ft Tesco supermarket and 20,000sq ft Home Bargains store
Wates is set to grow its retail project portfolio with the appointment to deliver three large-scale fit-out contracts on behalf of Marks and Spencer (M&S) in Dundee, Uckfield, and Guildford. With a combined area of over 80,000 sq ft, the three contracts form part of M&S’s major investment to transform its estate in response to changing retail trends, a move that is set to create 3,400 jobs across the UK. The largest of Wates’ contracts, in Dundee, will include the fit-out of a 52,467 sq ft sales floor split across two levels to create a larger full-line store. This will replace the current M&S Foodhall at the Gallagher Retail Park – a project previously delivered by Wates. Work on the new Dundee store will include the creation of a new Simply Food store and cafe as well as home and clothing departments, becoming one of eight new full-line M&S stores. Alongside Dundee, Wates will also complete fit-out projects for two new Foodhalls in Uckfield in East Sussex, and at Guildford Ladymead Retail Park, both approximately 15,000 sq ft, forming part of the retailer’s plans to expand its grocery trade. The M&S Uckfield project starts this summer with completion scheduled in time for Christmas and M&S Guildford Ladymead Retail Park will begin in January next year. All three contracts will be delivered to a fast-tracked schedule in line with M&S’s three-year store transformation programme. Each project is designed to bring more theatre to the shopping experience with new illuminated signage, bespoke wall finishes, new fridge cases and local wall messages. The projects will incorporate a range of energy efficiency measures to support M&S’s sustainability strategy. These contracts build on Wates’ long relationship with M&S, which spans two decades and includes the delivery of nearly 300 fit-out projects across the UK. This includes 50 projects through the retailer’s Foodhall Framework, established in 2014. Recent M&S projects delivered by Wates include the 25,440 sq ft Foodhall at Bluewater, Kent and a full-line fit-out in Colchester. Scott Camp, Managing Director of Wates fit-out and refurbishment business, said: “Retail trends are constantly evolving and working with M&S for the past 20 years, our business has seen how agile they are in their response to consumer needs. Understanding their strategy is absolutely vital to the work we do and enables us to not only bring their vision to life but do so at the pace required. We’re very proud to have worked across some of M&S’s flagship stores, and we look forward to making Dundee, Uckfield and Guildford as exceptional as all of our previous projects on behalf of M&S.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
National commercial property and investment company LCP, part of M Core, has acquired a busy edge-of-town retail park in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Weavers Wharf is a 220,000 sq ft retail park, just a few minutes’ walk from Kidderminster town centre, with anchor tenants Marks & Spencer, Next and TK Maxx, Café Nero, Boots, Sport Direct, McDonalds and TruGym. Premier Inn is also on the site. LCP acquired the centre for an undisclosed sum from Nuveen Estate as part of its proactive acquisition drive in shopping parades, centres and retail parks across the country. James Buchanan, LCP group managing director, said “This significant investment demonstrates our appetite for acquisition and our focus on intensive asset management, where we want to realise opportunities for adding value. “As well as achieving a good return on our investment, we’re committed to improving our retail estate, providing better value for money for tenants and, where there are voids, attracting good-quality brands, ensuring a better shopping experience, and, of course, helping to bring jobs. “It is thanks to the hard work by our team, who identify the sites for us to acquire, then use their considerable expertise and extensive contacts to attract tenants, that our strategy is working.” Simon Eatough, director of landlord and tenant at LCP, will lead the asset management team. Situated on the edge of the West Midlands bordering Worcestershire, 17 miles south-west of Birmingham and 15 miles north of Worcester, Weavers Wharf Shopping Park is accessed via the A456 Park Butts Ringway. There is a pedestrian link to the high street and the adjacent Tesco Superstore. M Core is on a strong acquisition drive, investing in all commercial sectors throughout the UK and Europe. Major UK acquisitions include Cwmbran Centre, Cwmbran; The Galleries, Washington, Sunderland; and Three Spires in Lichfield. It has £300 million available to invest for assets ranging from £500,000 to £30 million and portfolios up to £150 million, and is actively seeking sites for acquisition. LCP’s solicitor was Catherine Gunz at Osborne Clarke and Simon Lewis at Lewis Ellis acted as agent. For the vendor, agent was Paul Williams at Morgan Williams and solicitor was Chris Swallow at K&L Gates. Weavers Wharf has five units available, from 1,256 sq ft to 30,000 sq ft, for more information about availability, contact Simon Eatough: SEatough@lcpproperties.co.uk, or agents for the scheme; Chris Linnel, of McMullen Real Estate and Camilla Clifton of Morgan Williams. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
The outlet, located in Wembley Park and now in its tenth year, has also recorded its sixth consecutive month of record-breaking trading as May figures topple over the £8m mark London Designer Outlet (LDO) today announces a bumper crop of upsizings at the capital’s leading fashion and lifestyle destination. Guess, Levi’s, The North Face and Lindt have all invested further into their commitment to the LDO following successful trading, with Timberland joining the centre. This latest swathe of store upsizes comes as the centre announces its sixth consecutive record-breaking month of trading. Now in its tenth year, the outlet destination has smashed all previous records set for the months of December through to May, exceeding performance expectations. Trading figures recorded in May have surpassed £8m and beat the previous May record (2019) by 5%. Guess, which has been at the centre for over nine years, will increase its store size by 40% from 3,576 sq ft to 5,016 sq ft in order to introduce a new flagship concept and expand its offer to include menswear and childrenswear. After over seven years of successful trading at the centre, Levi’s will also increase its brand offering by 51% as it upsizes from 2,476 sq ft to 3,744 sq ft. The North Face has committed to a 30% upsizing, increasing its footprint at the centre from 2,770 sq ft to 3,606 sq ft. Timberland will also be joining the LDO having signed a lease to occupy The North Face’s previous unit. Following Lindt’s stellar success at the LDO – the store is the brand’s best performing in the UK without an onsite café – the Swiss chocolatier and confectionary company is investing over half a million pounds in a new fitout, to introduce a leisure offer with a café, incorporating both gelato and hot chocolate counters. Matt Slade, Retail Director at Quintain, said: “These brands’ commitment to further investment in the LDO demonstrates how compelling the centre is as a retail destination to some of the world’s best brands, as well as its longstanding excellent centre performance. “Brands are aware that consumers today expect more from their physical shopping experience, and outlets are no different. The LDO is a testbed for brands launching experimental stores and upsizes following the reassurance of years of successful trading and proven track record of brand performance at the centre. “These upsizings and store upgrades demonstrate the strength of the outlet proposition, which provides customers with greater perceived value through a premium shopping experience that ultimately boost sales.” These latest deals follow a number of new flagship roll-outs by existing brands at the centre, with 20,612 sq ft of additional space being taken by long-standing stores at the LDO since 2020, including global sportswear giants Nike and adidas, as well as fashion behemoths Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. The LDO, managed by Realm, the UK’s specialist outlet operator, is one of only a few outlets that blends retail, F&B, leisure and events in an easy-to-reach urban setting. It features 265,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space, including 70 outlet stores, and offers guests year-round discounts of up to 70%. Daniel Tomkinson, General Manager, London Designer Outlet said: “It is with great pride that we welcome these new store upgrades from Guess, Levi’s, North Face, Timberland and Lindt, as it demonstrates unyielding confidence in the centre. “Whilst footfall at the centre is boosted by a varied programme of global sporting and music events, it is the LDO’s appeal amongst an extensive local catchment that are choosing to visit often and spend more, which has enabled the centre and its brands to go from strength to strength. “This is evidenced the by the consecutive record-breaking trading months that the centre has recorded over the past six months. These upsizing decisions are a clear indication of how compelling the business case for destinations like London Designer Outlet is.” London Designer Outlet is at the heart of Wembley Park, which features plentiful transport links. Minutes from central London, Wembley Park is easily reached by three tube lines, two train lines, eight bus routes plus ample car parking. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Landsec announced yesterday plans to invest significantly in its prime retail destinations to further enhance their positive growth outlook. The investment will be led by a £45m transformation plan for Gunwharf Quays, which will see the Portsmouth-based shopping outlet cement its position as the UK’s leading lifestyle waterfront destination. The targeted investment plan, which will also include investments in Trinity Leeds and St David’s in Cardiff, will be accretive to overall returns, further strengthening Landsec’s portfolio of catchment dominant retail destinations. Landsec’s investment plans, unveiled at a retail-focused Capital Markets Day to be held in Gunwharf Quays today, will see: Speaking ahead of the Capital Markets Day, Bruce Findlay, Managing Director, Retail at Landsec said: “We’re focusing our strategic investment on where we can drive growth and deliver attractive returns. Our prime, catchment-dominant retail destinations have recovered strongly since Covid and, through targeted investment, we’re ensuring they will remain in demand in the future for consumers and brands alike. We’re confident that best-in-class retail property can deliver high single digit to low double digit total returns in the current macro-economic environment.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work is underway on a new scheme in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, that will see the development of a new Lidl and Wickes store in the town. IMA Architects (IMA) is working with Clowes Developments to provide all architectural services and act as Principal Designer on the scheme. The company will work alongside Millward Consulting Engineers and Roe Developments to deliver the site, known as Stadium Trade Park. The 1.68-hectare Stadium Trade Park will be built on a brownfield former industrial site that has been derelict since 2014, located just off Nottingham Road. Completion is expected next year and once finished, the site will feature a new Lidl and Wickes stores, car parking for 157 vehicles, a service yard and all associated boundary treatments and landscaping. The site will also bring new employment opportunities to the area. Marc Freeman, Director at Clowes Developments said: “We are delighted to welcome both Wickes and Lidl GB to Stadium Trade Park. The site has been in the planning stage since 2018, so it’s great that we are now up and running on the build. We expect both the new Lidl and Wickes stores to be very popular with the local community once they are complete and bring economic benefits to the town.” Joe Travers, Associate Director at IMA Architects said: “This is our latest project with Clowes, and we are enjoying regenerating this site which has been derelict for so long. Given the close proximity of residents, we have been considerate to their needs and our plans include additional landscaping, boundary treatments and acoustic mitigation measures to improve aesthetics and to ensure the scheme does not adversely impact local people.” Sarah Tait, Property Director at Wickes said: “We’re thrilled to be expanding our Wickes store in Long Eaton, Stadium Trade Park. The masterplan of the site and the fact that we can be involved in the design stage meant we could develop a location that perfectly suited our needs, and we are looking forward to opening the store in early 2024.” Lidl GB’s Regional Head of Property, Dominic Bryan, commented: “We are delighted to be part of this development and looking forward to bringing our high-quality produce at the best possible value to those in the local community.” Clowes Developments is one of the UK’s largest and strongest privately-owned property investment and development organisations. Headquartered in Ednaston, Derbyshire, the company are experts in land acquisition and promotion, property development and asset management, with 18,000 consented residential plots and 3,000 acres of development pipeline across the UK. IMA is an award-winning firm of architects based in Blaby, Leicestershire. The firm has completed more than 200 projects nationally and is actively working on 75 large-scale projects across the UK, Ireland and further afield. IMA works across all sectors and with a range of FTSE 100 companies – such as Marks & Spencer – as well as global brands including an international discount supermarket retailer. The company is a proud Community Partner of Leicester City Football Club and a sponsorship partner of both Leicester Tigers RFC and Leicestershire County Cricket Club. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A new Sainsbury’s Local store will soon open at Princes Dock, Liverpool Waters to support the growing business and residential community around the dock. The 5,748 sq ft store will be located on William Jessop Way, beneath the 760 multi storey car park and will include a free cash machine and in store bakery. The store will also be a collection point for Argos orders. The new Sainsbury’s store, which was granted planning permission by Liverpool City Council in January, will be located in the northern end of the building, which is currently occupied by Bean Café and Holyrood Nursery, both of which will remain open. Bean Café is about to undergo its own refit and will move into a neighbouring unit, which used to be occupied by The Store newsagent. Building work to develop the new store is expected to begin next week with completion in early summer. Liza Marco, Senior Asset Manager at Peel L&P’s Liverpool Waters, said: “We are delighted to welcome Sainsbury’s to Liverpool Waters. It will be a very welcome addition to the growing number of businesses now based at the Princes Dock neighbourhood. “With increasing numbers of visitors, and further residential and commercial developments in the pipeline, this growing community will need access to a quality store selling a wide range of groceries, convenience foods and beverages.” Find out more about Liverpool Waters here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
THE construction of a new supermarket in north Warrington is progressing to plan. A new Aldi store is being built on land off Europa Boulevard in Gemini – and the structure is starting to take shape. The plot of land looks unrecognisable from its former self after demolition crews moved onto the site in November to knock down the former Arnold Clark car dealership. The business announced its intention to vacate its old site in January 2020, and it has since moved across the road into the former Toys’R’Us unit. THE construction of a new supermarket in north Warrington is progressing to plan. A new Aldi store is being built on land off Europa Boulevard in Gemini – and the structure is starting to take shape. The plot of land looks unrecognisable from its former self after demolition crews moved onto the site in November to knock down the former Arnold Clark car dealership. The business announced its intention to vacate its old site in January 2020, and it has since moved across the road into the former Toys’R’Us unit. Foundation work was undertaken in February before steel framework was erected. This has now been followed by cladding. The retail chain stated there is a need and desire for the new store, despite there already being four in Stockton Heath, the town centre, Birchwood and Orford. Plans for the new store were officially submitted to Warrington Borough Council’s planning department in April last year. These plans were rubber stamped by the council in September, with the second stage of the process to regenerate the land now beginning. The scheme proposes 125 car parking spaces, nine parent and child spaces, eight disabled spaces, 14 cycle spaces, four electric vehicle charging spaces and six motorcycle spaces. Aldi previously said that the proposal would create up to 40 new full and part-time jobs at the store alone – which will be paid at an ‘industry-leading’ rate of £10.10 per hour as a minimum. There would also be further employment opportunities during construction and via the supply chain. It is hoped that the new store will be ready to open by September 2023. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Krispy Kreme has opened at Manchester Arndale, joining a number of other food and beverage operators who have recently signed at the scheme. Taking a 3,700 sq ft unit on a 15-year lease, the doughnut and coffee chain will also feature a click-and-collect service. The new store continues the brand’s UK expansion with Krispy Kreme now operating 1,200 stores and outlets nationwide. Food and beverage retailers the Manchester scheme has recently welcomed include Slim Chickens, Kokoro, Tim Hortons, and Pizza Luxe. The shopping centre has also welcomed retailers such as Sports Direct, Tommy Hilfiger, and Kick Game, as well as leisure operators Urban Playground and Roxy Ballroom. Colin Flinn, spokesperson for Manchester Arndale, said: “Experiential retail is becoming increasingly important for centres like Manchester Arndale as retailers introduce new approaches aimed at encouraging shoppers to visit in-store as opposed to shopping online. “Two of our key retailers, Sports Direct and Superdrug, have recently opened larger spaces within the centre to upgrade their offers and create innovative and immersive environments which appeal to those who enjoy the hybrid approach of online and experiential in-store retail.” Metis Real Estate and Time Retail Partners are the retained letting agents for Manchester Arndale. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Bespoke interiors and fitout company Konstruct has completed works on the striking new flagship store for contemporary fashion label RIXO on London’s King’s Road. The 5,000 square foot store opened its doors this week to unveil a stunning, vibrant interior with features including a coffee kiosk, cocktail bar and bridal suite, alongside RIXO’s full range of ready-to-wear, bridal and accessories. The brand has existing standalone stores on King’s Road, Marylebone and Carnaby Street. Delivered in partnership with Gemma McCloskey of CÚPLA Studio, Konstruct oversaw the design, construction and fit-out of the RIXO project, completed within just six months. RIXO has made a bold mark in the fashion industry since its establishment in 2015. Owned by Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey, the brand’s signature hand-painted prints and exquisite dresses have taken the contemporary fashion scene by storm across the globe. The team at RIXO appointed Konstruct to lead on the development of the King’s Road store due to their expertise and experience in high quality commercial fitouts as well as their excellence in interior design. Led by partners Martin Kernan and Columb Gribbin, Konstruct originated in County Armagh, with bases in London and Dundalk, County Louth. The company has grown significantly since its inception five years ago, driven by notable projects within its commercial, hospitality and luxury residential portfolio across the UK and Ireland. Speaking about this latest project completion, Managing Director of Konstruct Martin Kernan said: “It has been an absolute pleasure to work with RIXO on the creation of their incredible new flagship store on King’s Road. “Henrietta and Orlagh had a clear vision for the store, which sought to really capture the essence of the RIXO brand. From day one we were focused on creating a fun, versatile, colourful space to be in with standout features such as the flooring made using leftover marble – and with additions like the bar and coffee shop, RIXO have really enhanced the customer experience. “Working with Gemma from CÚPLA Studio has been an enjoyable and effective creative partnership, resulting in a real synergy between visual design and fitout. This has been a relatively short project in terms of timeframe so our whole team has worked incredibly hard to ensure the store was perfect for its first visitors to step into this spring. “We’re very proud to have been part of that and we congratulate Henrietta, Orlagh and everyone at RIXO on this significant milestone for the business.” Henrietta Rix, Co-Founder of RIXO said: “Seeing our flagship store on King’s Road be brought to life and now open its doors has been a joy. This store has been part of our plan from the beginning. We wanted to create a beautiful space that reflects the RIXO style and also encourages our customers to relax and spend time with us. Konstruct were the perfect partners to turn that into reality. “Working closely with Orlagh’s twin sister Gemma, Konstruct were able to create a store that is welcoming, playful, inviting – and the perfect backdrop to explore our collection. This opening marks a very important chapter in the RIXO story.”Amongst several major residential projects, Konstruct is now working on the development of a premium orangery venue in the Cotswolds and a high-end restaurant fitout in London. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Work on a major retail development including new Tesco and Home Bargains stores set to open next year is now underway. The new £20m development at Houghton Colliery is set to bring around 100 new jobs to the area. A 45,000sq ft Tesco supermarket and 20,000sq ft Home Bargains store will be built on the former Colliery site with an opening date of Spring 2024 on the cards. Work at the site is now underway with preparation work being carried out to clear the site ahead of building work beginning. A 300 bay carpark will also be built including disabled spaces and electric car charging points. Sunderland City Council’s cabinet agreed to sell the former colliery – which had been empty for 40 years – to developers Hellens Group and Fintry Estates in 2019. Cllr Kevin Johnson, Dynamic City Cabinet Member at Sunderland City Council, said: “The redevelopment of the former Houghton Colliery site is a project we have been working on for some time, so we’re absolutely thrilled to see work progressing on the scheme.” Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive at Hellens Group said: “We are delighted to begin clearance work on the former colliery site with construction due to commence in May this year. “As a Sunderland-based company, we are committed to supporting local regeneration projects and seeing the area benefit from multi-million pound developments. “The support from Sunderland City Council has been invaluable in unlocking this particularly challenging brownfield site.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
