Lidl, the popular German discount supermarket chain, has secured a landmark £70 million sale-and-leaseback deal to fund the development of 12 new stores across the United Kingdom. This strategic move is part of Lidl’s ambitious UK expansion plan, which aims to make affordable, high-quality groceries accessible to even more communities nationwide. To bring this vision to life, Lidl has teamed up with Roadside Real Estate and Meadow Real Estate Fund, who have formed a joint venture to acquire these new stores upon completion. Under the agreement, Lidl will continue to manage and operate each location, allowing the retailer to strengthen its UK presence while unlocking capital to fuel further growth. Initially, Lidl acquired land and planning permissions for each of the 12 strategic sites. Once construction is complete, Roadside Real Estate will acquire the stores, leasing them back to Lidl under a 25-year contract. This flexible capital arrangement allows Lidl to grow its network while maintaining a robust operational foothold in key communities. The funding deal sees the joint venture contributing an initial £30 million, with a further £40 million to be provided upon the stores’ completion between late October 2024 and February 2025. These new additions will bolster Lidl’s current network of over 960 UK stores, solidifying its position as a major player in the British retail sector. Richard Taylor, Lidl GB’s Chief Development Officer, stated: “We have big ambitions for our expansion, including plans to open hundreds more Lidl stores in the future. This deal is just the latest example of how we’re continuing to grow our footprint, ensuring that more households can benefit from a Lidl store nearby. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with Roadside, Meadow, and the JV.” Charles Dickson, Executive Chairman at Roadside, added: “The Lidl portfolio perfectly demonstrates the JV’s strategy, swiftly providing targeted capital to support tenant expansion while generating management fees and opening up further income opportunities.” George Trimmer from Savills commented, “This is a valuable opportunity to forward fund the construction of 12 supermarkets let to Lidl. The 25-year leases not only provide long-term income stability with annual indexation but also enable Lidl GB Limited to unlock capital while retaining operational control.” This sale-and-leaseback arrangement is a testament to Lidl’s commitment to sustainable growth, combining an innovative funding model with operational stability. By leveraging real estate partnerships, Lidl is accelerating its store expansion across the UK, continuing its mission to invest in quality and affordability for British customers. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

John Lewis has launched the first stages of a sweeping multimillion-pound investment across its stores, starting with significant upgrades to its Oxford Street flagship and stores in High Wycombe and Cheadle. These locations are among the first to showcase expanded beauty halls and refreshed shopping spaces designed to enhance the in-store experience. The Oxford Street store stands out with upgrades across all six floors, modernising departments including home, technology, jewellery, and electricals. Shoppers will also soon be able to enjoy a new Jamie Oliver Cookery School, set to open in spring 2025, marking an exciting collaboration with the renowned chef. Additionally, a Waterstones concession was recently unveiled in-store, part of an impressive £800 million investment aimed at elevating John Lewis’ offerings. Peter Ruis, Executive Director for John Lewis, shared his enthusiasm: “There’s a renewed energy in John Lewis, and we’re committed to giving customers even more reasons to shop in our exceptional stores. We’re investing heavily to ensure customers continue to enjoy the quality, service, and value they expect from our brand.” Howard Dawber, Deputy Mayor for Business and Growth, added, “John Lewis’ continued investment in Oxford Street underscores London’s status as a top destination for beauty and fashion retail. The upcoming Jamie Oliver Cookery School and new Waterstones concession bring fresh, exciting elements to the Oxford Street store, enriching the experience for locals and visitors alike. This is the kind of investment we need to help revitalise Oxford Street and build a thriving, prosperous London.” These latest enhancements reflect John Lewis’ commitment to creating vibrant, immersive shopping environments that appeal to today’s customers while supporting the wider regeneration of London’s iconic retail spaces. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Pradera Lateral has been appointed as the new asset manager for four major shopping centres, previously managed by Global Mutual, as SGS aims to usher in a new era of growth for these high-profile retail destinations. The centres now under Pradera Lateral’s management include the Lakeside Shopping Centre in Essex, Atria Watford, Victoria Centre in Nottingham, and Braehead Shopping Centre near Glasgow – all iconic shopping hubs in their respective regions. Lakeside Shopping Centre, a premier regional retail destination, spans 1.6 million sq ft and boasts over 250 shops and restaurants, along with a vibrant leisure offering. Major tenants include M&S, NEXT, Zara, H&M, Primark, and Apple. Atria Watford, situated in the heart of the town, covers 1.4 million sq ft and offers a variety of retail outlets, cafés, bars, restaurants, and a nine-screen Cineworld cinema. Its key tenants include M&S, Zara, H&M, Apple, Next, and Primark. Nottingham’s Victoria Centre, opened in 1972 after a regeneration project that transformed a former railway station, extends over 950,000 sq ft. This mixed-use development features 120 stores, including anchor tenants John Lewis and House of Fraser, along with residential flats and office space. Other notable retailers include Next, WHSmith, Boots, and EE. Braehead Shopping Centre, just outside Glasgow, spans 1.1 million sq ft and offers retail, leisure, and food spaces, alongside 7,900 free parking spaces and convenient public transport links. The centre welcomes 16.5 million visitors annually and is home to 120 UK and international brands. SGS believes that Pradera Lateral’s appointment will drive the growth of these shopping centres, particularly with the recent addition of Philip Wardle, who joined from British Land’s mall leasing team. Wardle will collaborate closely with Pradera Lateral and its new CEO, Claire Barber, to lead the next phase of development. Barry Cox, Managing Director of Pradera, expressed excitement for the future, saying: “We are grateful to SGS for placing their trust in us, and we’re eager to take this portfolio of prime shopping centres into a new chapter of growth. With ambitious plans in place, we look forward to working closely with Claire Barber and her team to realise the full potential of these centres.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Bensons for Beds has launched 15 new stores within three weeks, occupying former Carpetright locations across the UK. This expansion follows the furniture retailer’s acquisition of 19 ex-Carpetright sites in August, after the flooring company entered administration. The move forms part of Bensons for Beds’ long-term growth strategy, which aims to establish up to 40 new stores over the coming years. In addition to these openings, Bensons has launched its first high street store in Sutton and made a return to Northern Ireland after a four-year absence with a new outlet in Belfast. The new store locations include: Nick Collard, Chief Executive of Bensons for Beds, commented: “The scale of store openings we’ve achieved in such a short period is unprecedented for us as a business, and it’s a significant accomplishment for any retailer, especially given the current economic climate. “While market conditions remain tough, Bensons is positioned to take advantage of a market recovery. This success is a direct result of our ongoing transformation into the leading bed specialist, providing expert advice and great value to help our customers enjoy a good night’s sleep.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd confirm retail operators, Starbucks, KFC and Greggs are coming to Viking Park in Congleton. Construction has already begun as Roe Developments have initiated works on three retail units. The roadside convenience offering at Viking Park will consist of a detached 1,850 sq ft Starbucks drive through facility at the front of the plot. Adjacent to Starbucks will be a semi-detached unit totalling 3,200sq ft which will house a KFC and Greggs. At the centre of the plot there will be a parking facility for up to 38 vehicles, including 4 E-V charging stations for added convenience of passing trade. The retail units are conveniently located directly off Barn Road which runs through the centre of Viking Park connecting Congleton town to the A536 link road. Starbucks, Greggs and KFC will sit next to the brand-new Aldi store which officially opened to the general public in October 2024. Marc Freeman, Director, Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd added: “It’s good to see that the roadside convenience offering is now under construction on site at Viking Park. We feel that a Starbucks ‘drive thru’, KFC and Greggs will be a welcomed addition to the business park. Following the successful opening of Aldi back in October, it’s refreshing to watch Viking Park take shape. Our construction contractor, Roe Developments, will also be starting to construct a standalone 20,000 sq ft unit for a yet to be named retailer. We anticipate all units will be open for business by the summer of 2025. Elsewhere on the mixed-use scheme, residential developer, Bloor Homes, are progressing well with the construction of their homes. On completion, Viking Park will deliver up to 175 homes, a 20,500sq ft supermarket/roadside convenience, as well as 36,800sq ft office facilities and 219,500sq ft of industrial units. Available units including Viking103 are being marketed on an all enquiries basis, interested parties are invited to contact our agents Mark Sillitoe, ms@willsill.co.uk or Andrew Groves, andrew.groves@harrislamb.com. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Torridge District Council has approved the amended plans for the Appledore Clean Maritime Innovation Centre. The updated drawings and plans, submitted in July 2024, were developed in response to public feedback and evolving market demands, receiving the green light from the planning committee. The revised plans aim to maximise the lettable area by minimising ancillary spaces, ensuring that the final structure meets both current and future market needs. In response to public consultation the height and scale of the building has been reduced. In particular, the entire second floor has been removed, the extent of the first-floor area reduced, and the first floor of the Benson Building has been removed to overcome concerns around overlooking. There will now only be one point of access to the site. In response to residents’ concerns around traffic, it has been determined that the removal of the second access onto New Quay Street (previously proposed to serve a car park) will simplify vehicle movements around the access to the site compared to the original scheme. BAM Construction has been appointed to work with Torridge District Council to secure Planning Consent and deliver completed designs. A main construction contract for the build of the Innovation Centre will be awarded in early 2025, with construction anticipated to start soon thereafter. In order to allow the works to be planned and in anticipation of a construction contract, an event will be hosted later this month in Appledore, to allow local businesses to ‘meet the contractor’ and find out more about the work available. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Greggs, the UK’s much-loved bakery chain, is on track for an impressive year of growth, with plans to open between 140 and 160 net new stores by the end of 2024. The company, which operated 2,559 locations as of the end of September, has already opened 152 new stores this year while closing 66, including 43 relocations. The expansion includes the growing popularity of Greggs’ drive-through outlets, with new sites recently launched at Abbeywood Retail Park and Harlequin Business Park in Bristol. In its third-quarter trading update, covering the 13 weeks ending 28 September, Greggs reported a 10.6% increase in total sales, bringing year-to-date growth to an impressive 12.7%. Like-for-like sales in company-managed stores were also strong, rising 5% compared to the same period in 2023. Innovation has been key to Greggs’ continued success. The bakery chain’s product development, including the launch of a popular over-ice drinks range, has contributed significantly to its sales surge. Currently available in 800 locations, the drinks line is expected to reach 1,000 shops by the end of the year. New additions to the Autumn menu, such as the All-Day Breakfast Baguette and Mexican Bean & Spicy Cheese Flatbread, are also expected to drive sales as the colder months approach. Extended trading hours and the expansion of digital sales channels have further bolstered Greggs’ performance. Despite the ongoing economic uncertainty, the company remains confident in its long-term growth prospects and maintains its outlook for the full year. In a bid to balance consumer costs, Greggs has also revised its inflation estimates, now anticipating that cost increases for 2024 will fall towards the lower end of its previous 4-5% projection. This is welcome news for customers, especially those who have voiced concerns over rising prices in recent years, including the iconic sausage roll. With a robust expansion strategy, menu innovation, and continued sales growth, Greggs is firmly on course for a landmark year, cementing its place as a staple of the British high street. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals