Consortium to build and run £160m Mill Green designer outlet village

U+I says it has become part of a joint venture with a consortium managed by McArthurGlen, which has developed and runs nearly two dozen designer outlets across the UK and Europe, including Cheshire Oaks. McArthurGlen will run the new Mill Green outlet, which is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs when it opens in 2020.

Work on the site, which already has planning permission from Cannock Chase council, is due to start early next year.

The consortium includes the Richardson family property business, founded by twins Don and Roy who built the Merry Hill shopping centre. Don died in 2007 and the business is now run by Roy’s sons. In recent years it has been heavily involved in designer outlet developments with McArthurGlen.

also involved in the consortiumare Rioja Developments and Aviva Investors on behalf of Aviva Life & Pensions.

U+I – which starts work in the new years on Wolverhampton's £55 million Westside city centre leisure scheme – and Rioja Developments secured planning approval in September 2016.

Setting up the joint venture will see a combined investment of more than £160 million in the project with the development spanning 26,500 sq m (285,000 sq ft) in two phases and includes improvements to local roads.

Gary Bond, Joint Managing Director of Development at McArthurGlen, said: “We are delighted to announce what will be the Group’s twenty sixth centre and our seventh in the UK, and we look forward to working with our joint venture partners U+I, Aviva and The Richardson Family. The new centre will sit within a rapidly growing portfolio which currently has an active development pipeline of 150,000 sq m.”

Giles Membrey, managing director at Rioja Developments, said: “We are delighted that after many years working on this project, we will be seeing it come to fruition in 2018. This is the best site in the West Midlands for a designer outlet village and the brand interest in the scheme has been phenomenal.”

The project will be developed and built by McArthurGlen, U+I and Rioja Developments, and once it is completed, McArthurGlen will manage the centre.

Construction of Phase I will begin in the early part of 2018 and the opening is planned for spring 2020.

Phase I will feature over 80 stores plus restaurants and cafes, a children’s play area and 1,400 parking spaces.

Matthew Weiner, CEO at U+I Group, said: “We are delighted to be working as development partner with McArthurGlen. The site’s location and potential are enormous and now that we have secured the planning consents, we are focussed on working with our partners to transform this site into a thriving community hub.

"The high quality shops, restaurants and other amenities will attract visitors from near and far, stimulate the local economy and create over 1000 jobs. Importantly, this project will protect and enhance the natural environment which surround it.”

The consortium believes the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cannock will be situated in "what is one of the most densely populated and affluent catchments in the UK." Over 11 million consumers live within 90 minutes.

Councillor George Adamson, leader of Cannock Chase Council said: "Thecouncil has supported the Outlet Village scheme over many years and I am pleased that it is now coming to fruition. It will become a major tourist destination and is a major boost for Cannock Chase."

Tony McGovern, Managing director of Cannock Chase Council added: "The McArthurGlen Outlet Village will generate significant employment opportunities in the West Midlands and provide a regional shopping destination that is accessible and high quality.

"The council is delighted to be working in partnership with U+I, Rioja Developments, McArthurGlen Group, Aviva Investors and The Richardson Family to deliver this fantastic facility".

Overlooking the Mill Green nature reserve, the site will be just five minutes from Cannock town centre and its railway station.