Mill Green designer village: Work starts on building £160m shopping destination
Work has started clearing the site of a multi-million pound designer outlet village, which has been dubbed the ‘best thing to happen in Cannock for decades’.
Workmen this week moved onto the site of the £160 million McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Village, formerly known as Mill Green.
The 26,500 square metre retail park is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, with 100 shops, including Ralph Lauren and Superdry, expected to open there by Spring 2020.
Formal construction work is yet to begin but this week workmen removed fences and cleared trees to make way for the development, which will be run by McArthurGlen and U+I.
Phase one of the scheme is due to begin in the coming months and will feature more than 80 shops, restaurants and cafes, a children’s play area and also 1,400 parking spaces.
Cannock Chase District Council leader George Adamson said: “It will put Cannock on the national and even international retail map.
“It will create hundreds of retail jobs and building jobs too while it is being developed.
“There could be disruption to traffic in the meantime – but it is the best thing that has happened to Cannock in decades.”
In August, a major international chain requested a larger unit so the local authority had to re-think the plans.
Following this, the scale of the scheme meant it was referred to the Secretary of State but she did not call it in.
A £400,000 cash injection from McArthurGlen will be ploughed into improving the town centre and expanding railway stations, as part of the huge project.
Cannock, Hednesford and Rugeley Town stations will be revamped at a cost of £90,000 – with platforms made bigger and fit for purpose.
Around £150,000 will go towards providing free wi-fi, improving the town’s market and festivals, as well as promotional events.
Around £65,000 has been earmarked for a Retail and Skills Academy and £370,300 will go to maintaining Mill Green Nature Park.
The outlet is expected to attract three million visitors every year.
McArthurGlen currently runs designer outlets across the UK, including in Ashford, Bridgend and York, as well as Cheshire Oaks.
