Brent Cross Shopping Centre, London’s first and most iconic retail destination, is to undergo a £1.4bn redevelopment.
The centre's owners, Hammerson and Standard Life Investments, are to begin a major public consultation to ensure it meets the needs of its shoppers for the future.
The new plans include space for over 200 retail brands, 40 new restaurants, a cinema complex and hotel accommodation, a town square that will become a hub for leisure and entertainment activities, and up to 3,500 retail jobs and 5,000 construction jobs.
Whilst doubling the size of the existing shopping centre, John Lewis and Fenwick will be retained and a new Marks & Spencer anchor store will be delivered. All three were part of the original Brent Cross when it opened in 1976.
The new centre will attract leading international and UK brands alongside space for local and pop-up businesses and concept stores to test consumer appetite for the latest trends.
A major new addition will be the creation of a market level on the upper floor paying tribute to London’s popular foodie heritage. Set to be a destination in its own right with restaurants, food stalls and producers, the architecture for this quarter will be inspired by the urban markets in Europe.
The scheme is part of a larger £4.5bn regeneration plan for Brent Cross and Cricklewood, for which Hammerson and Standard Life Investments already has outline planning consent, granted in 2010.
The southern element of the wider regeneration plan, which includes almost 6,700 homes, new parks, offices, and community facilities, is being delivered by a joint venture between Argent Related and Barnet Council.