St Modwen will next week open a public consultation on plans for the second phase of its £70m town centre development at Longbridge, Birmingham.
The centrepiece will be a new 130,000 sq ft store for Marks & Spencer.
The plans have been drawn up as a direct response to an approach by M&S, which is actively seeking to open a store at Longbridge in summer 2014.
Estates Gazette revealed in March that M&S was rethinking its plans to anchor Land Securities’ 430,500 sq ft Battery Park development at Selly Oak in favour of Longbridge.
Land Securities is due to submit a planning application within the next few weeks.
St Modwen’s plans also include relocating 45,000 sq ft of shops which already have planning consent as part of the first phase of the town centre project.
Although the firm would not confirm M&S as the likely tenant, Mike Murray, senior development surveyor, said: “Our proposals for the next phase of the town centre are in direct response to an active enquiry from a leading UK retailer who we believe will make an excellent addition to the town centre.”
St Modwen will submit a planning application for the next phase later this summer.
The first phase of Longbridge town centre is now well under way, anchored by an 85,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s and a 75-bedroom Premier Inn and Beefeater Grill, which will open next year.
The development has reached its maximum permitted level of retail floorspace, which means it would need further permission from the local council for a new M&S store.
The public consultation will be held at The Factory, Longbridge Lane, on Thursday 28 June.
lisa.pilkington@estatesgazette.com
