DOZENS of jobs will be created by Marks & Spencer with the opening of a new store at the Weymouth Gateway site.
The new building will be double the size of the seafront M&S, which will close when its lease expires in 2027.
Sixty jobs from the town centre store will be switched to the new building, with an additional 45 jobs likely to be created.
M&S say the new multi-million pound store will be ‘full-range’ joining other businesses, such as Aldi, B&M, Costa, Dunelm and McDonald's which are already operating from the Gateway retail park.
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Dorset Council is expected to approve the planning application for the new store when its area planning committee meets on Thursday, October 3.
The joint application comes from LondonMetric Property and Avercet which say the new store, added to those already there, will enhance Weymouth as a shopping destination.
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Said Chris Newns, Director of Avercet: “We’re proud that our regeneration of the Weymouth Gateway site has already created some 340 new year-round jobs and work for around 50 local contractors.
"And now, by supporting M&S’s plans to expand its presence in Weymouth, we’re not only helping to generate even more jobs, but attract more visitors to the town and increase its share of regional retail spend.”
M&S announced last summer that it will leave its current St Mary St, Weymouth store when its lease expires in 2027, due to site constraints which make it unable to meet the needs of modern shoppers.
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Its Dorchester South Street store closed some time ago with the site set to become a Premier Inn.
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With 3,886m2 of floorspace the new store will be bigger than the old Dorchester store and the existing Weymouth branch, combined.
Matthew Hawke, Regional Manager for M&S, said, “It’s fantastic that plans are progressing for our brand-new store.
"Our planned multi-million-pound investment in Weymouth is not only a sign of our commitment to the town but to delivering the best possible store for our customers here.
“With the opening coinciding with our lease end, all colleagues will be able to move over to the new store or other nearby stores if they choose and we'll create 45 new local jobs.”
The planning application includes 234 additional parking spaces including 10 extra EV charging points and covered cycle racks, and associated infrastructure and landscaping. In addition, there will be a financial contribution to support Dorset Council’s e-bike hire scheme.
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