Warehouses to let in Northamptonshire benefit from £50m shopping park

More than 20 leading UK retail chains, including a large Marks & Spencer, will fill a new £50m shopping park planned to open near Rushden.

The Rushden Lakes centre would create 1,500 jobs, bring household name stores to the area and potentially attract three million visitors a year.

A large garden centre, hotel, leisure centre and a new lake marina are also part of the plans for the proposed scheme, which will be situated at Skew Bridge, opposite Waitrose on the A45.

The 400,000 sq ft shopping site will also feature a visitor centre, “high end” restaurants and 1,300 parking spaces.

The park which will hopefully be open in the next 20 months will not only bring business and jobs to the area but manufacturing premises will also benefit from the build. Already in high demand distribution buildings are set to remain so with new businesses in the areas seeking warehouse space.

Tim Walton, chief executive of LXB, the developers behind the scheme, described the plans as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for the area. He added that the “East Northamptonshire Council and all the stakeholders have been very supportive about working with us to come up with what we think is a great scheme. The site offers a unique tourism and leisure destination and it opens up the lake and natural environment to the general public. It’s a beautiful location.”

John McCarthy, LXB development director, said “it’s good for the whole area, not just Rushden”.

Source: Evening Telegraph