Marks & Spencer to build store at former MG Rover Longbridge site
Marks & Spencer is to build one of its biggest UK stores on the site of the former MG Rover factory at Longbridge in Birmingham, it was revealed today.
Midlands property company St Modwen, which has been redeveloping the 468-acre site for the past decade, said M&S had signed a 45-year lease for a 150,000 sq ft two-storey store that will anchor the next phase of development at the new Longbridge town centre.
The store will create 350 jobs when it opens. Work is due to start in the middle of next year.
The one-time car factory site is undergoing a £1 billion 15-year transformation with up to 2,000 being built there, along with a business park.
St Modwen says it will be submitting a revised planning application for its Longbridge scheme which will include both the new M&S store and another 45,000 sq ft of additional shopping units as well as a surface and multi-storey car park.
As long as it secured planning approval, the new Marks & Spencer store would be open for business by Christmas 2015.
Development company chief executive Bill Oliver said: "To date, St Modwen has created over 3,500 jobs on site at Longbridge. The addition of Marks & Spencer to the scheme, which will underpin the delivery of phase two of the new town centre, illustrates further how our transformational regeneration projects can encourage investment and serve as true catalysts for change, as well as creating substantial value for our shareholders."
Julie Ridley, regional manager at M&S, added: "This is an exciting prospect for M&S and the shoppers of Longbridge.
"We're looking forward to bringing all that M&S has to offer to the local area and believe the new store will cater for the shoppers of south Birmingham and attract new customers from the M5 and M42 corridor."
