Henry Bellfield, director of Barberry Developments

Developers behind plans for a £50million superstore in Coventry have welcomed proposals to transform the south side of the city centre with a £300 million redevelopment programme.

Barberry Developments said 2012 is poised to be an exciting year for Coventry and for the company as it works alongside Coventry City Council to turn the Bishop Gate plans into reality.

The further planned improvements to City Centre South, and a £7 million investment in public realm projects, means the city is on course for a major transformation that will boost investment and employment prospects.

Barberry Developments director Henry Bellfield will join leading council officials when the city steps on to the international stage at the annual MIPIM property conference in Cannes, France next month (March).

The city has exhibited at MIPIM for the last 18 years and fully funds its presence through a partnership of private sector firms which have connections with the city. The show has helped to put the city firmly on the international commercial property map and played a direct part in attracting significant investment. Around 15 companies have contributed to the Coventry presence at MIPIM including Barberry Developments.

Barberry last year revealed its Bishop Gate proposals that could create hundreds of jobs for the city. Barberry purchased the 200,000 sq ft former Royal Mail Sorting Centre and adjoining properties, including 50 Bishop Street, last year and outline planning consent was granted by Coventry City Council for a large retail-led scheme.

Mr Bellfield welcomed the council’s plans in partnership with Aviva – the other major landowner – for a £300 million transformation of the city centre south covering Bull Yard, Shelton Square, City Arcade, Barracks car park and Hertford Street, which he said complemented his company’s own proposals.

The blueprint is based on the comments received from thousands of local people who took part in a ground-breaking consultation three years ago which resulted in the Jerde vision. The proposal reflects the city’s heritage and is partly inspired by the 1950s Gibson plan – recreating the iconic cross layout and better connecting Market Way, Hertford Street, IKEA and the market.

Meanwhile Barberry, a privately-owned development and investment company based in Worcestershire, has spent the last six months carrying out negotiations and vital research in order to ensure that the completed Bishop Gate scheme benefits the city residents and visitors for many years to come.

As a result, a slightly revised planning application will be made in due course following in-depth discussions with supermarket operators.

Mr Bellfield added: “This is a large city centre project and therefore, by its very nature, it’s quite complicated.  Considerable positive progress has been made behind the scenes and we have had lengthy negotiations with supermarket operators which have led to some minor operational amendments to the proposals.

“The principal operator within the Bishop Gate project will be a supermarket and we continue to make excellent progress with a number of the operators.  It is extremely important that, at this stage, we spend time working with each of the operators to create the best possible store for them and their customers.  By doing this we will create a development that the people of Coventry will enjoy using not just in the short term but also the long term.

“It’s an exciting year for Coventry with the improvements already underway having a positive impact on visitors to the city. They are the perfect start to the big projects – City Centre South and our own Bishop Gate project which are to come. It is clear to see that the future for Coventry looks very bright indeed.”

Councillor Linda Bigham, Cabinet Member for City Development, said: “The Bishop Gate development is an important part of the transformation of our city centre so I am pleased that work is progressing and we can expect a detailed planning application soon. It will connect to all the rest of our work and will really transform a tired and run down area – improving the link to the canal basin.”

Retailers have experienced their first successful peak season trading at a Swansea shopping destination since the completion of a multi-million pound phased refurbishment.

Home Bargains, B&M and Poundworld all opened stores on Phoenix Retail Park, Swansea, last year after major investment in improvements by Worcestershire-based Barberry Developments.

Discount retailer Poundworld, which opened its Swansea store in November 2011 with a total of 30 staff, welcomed a large number of customers during the Christmas rush and January sales.

Mark Ward, Poundworld property director, said: “We’re really happy to have recently opened our first store in Swansea at Phoenix Retail Park. Where once the single-price retailer was a recognised staple of the high street, this horizon is expanding, and we are now able to bring our ‘value’ experience out of town. Shoppers in Swansea have responded well to our recent store opening and, as a result, we are planning to open a further ten stores in Wales next year.”

Customers’ shopping experience has also been improved following the widening of the existing access road from Phoenix Way. The improved road access is the penultimate stage of renovation of the site, which has seen Barberry Developments carry out an extensive refurbishment of the retail park including replacing external cladding, provision of new feature entrances, internal refurbishment and an improved, resurfaced car park layout.

Martyn Cartwright, director of Barberry Developments, said: “We are delighted that the Phoenix Retail Park occupants have enjoyed such a successful period of activity. The car park has been noticeably full since the refurbishment. We are now progressing with the construction of an additional and separate main customer access from the principal Fendrod Way frontage, which will provide improved connectivity to the adjoining Tesco Extra.”

Phoenix Retail Park is ideally located within four miles of Swansea city centre and has excellent access to junctions 44/45 of the M4. With retail chains B&M, Home Bargains and Poundworld already successfully operating from the retail park, there is currently 25,000 sq ft of space available for lease.

Martin added: “The remaining space has open A1 consent which means it will appeal to a wide range of retailers.”

For information on the remaining unit visit www.phoenixretailpark.co.uk or contact agents Morgan Williams on 0207 4934455 or Fletcher Morgan on 02920 378921.

Poundworld

Barberry Developments has announced a major new letting following the recent completion of phase two of its £1 million transformation of the Phoenix Retail Park in Swansea, South Wales.

Poundworld has taken 10,000 sq ft in unit four on a new 15-year lease at £15 per sq ft as part of a national expansion programme and intend to be open in time for Christmas. Poundworld now has more than 120 stores across the UK and over 2,500 employees.

With retail chains B&M and Home Bargains already successfully operating from the retail park, there are now just two units left, ranging from 6,000 sq ft to 20,000 sq ft, following the refurbishment of the former Halfords store which was completed in August.

Barberry, which acquired the first generation retail park in 2007, believes the latest deal with Poundworld demonstrates the value of its investment in major improvements to the site it acquired four years ago.

Director Martyn Cartwright said: “Poundworld is a welcome addition to Phoenix Retail Park proving that our significant investment in transforming the trading potential of the scheme is recognised by major retailers. The recent lettings demonstrate that our asset management strategy has been effective in improving the income profile of the investment in what is a very difficult trading climate.

“The remaining units have open A1 consent which means they will appeal to a wide range of retailers and there is already serious interest in them from various parties.”

Poundworld property director Mark Ward said: “We are delighted to have agreed a new 15-year lease at Phoenix Retail Park and we are looking forward to beginning trading in time for Christmas. Our Swansea store is the latest in our expansion programme and gives us an excellent base in South Wales.”

Barberry carried out an extensive refurbishment of the retail park including replacing external cladding, provision of new feature entrances, internal refurbishment and an improved, resurfaced car park layout. It is an established shopping destination with nearby retailers including Tesco Extra, Asda, Halfords, Smyths Toys, SCS, Comet and Carpet Right.

Phoenix Retail Park is ideally located within four miles of Swansea city centre and has excellent access to junctions 44/45 of the M4.  Barberry gained planning permission to improve the access roads from Phoenix Way into the retail park including a new access road from Fendrod Way to the front of the scheme. For information on the remaining units visit www.pheonixretailpark.co.uk or contact agents Morgan Williams on 0207 4934455 or Fletcher Morgan on 02920 378921.

(l-r) Jon Bellfield, Henry Bellfield, Martyn Cartwright, Alex Watson and Paul Watson of Barberry Developments.

Property professionals from across the UK descended on a Midlands village for an event staged by Barberry Developments.

The Worcestershire-based property developers hosted a late summer luncheon to thank contacts across the sector for their contribution to what has been a successful year for the company despite tough trading conditions continuing. Barberry has experienced a busy year with notable contracts in Swansea, Droitwich and Coventry.

The luncheon was hosted by company director Paul Watson in a marquee at his home in Chaddesley Corbett, near Kidderminster. He was joined by colleagues including managing director Jon Bellfield, directors Henry Bellfield and Martyn Cartwright, and development surveyor Alex Watson.

Jon Bellfield said: “The event was a wonderful opportunity for the team to get together with people from all aspects of the business and thank them for all the hard work they’ve put into making our projects over the past year such a great success. We look forward to getting involved with equally exciting opportunities for development in the next 12 months.”

Representatives of many architects, surveyors, professional services firms, and property agents in the West Midlands, such as DTZ, Savills, JLL, Colliers and AJA Architects, were part of the 130-strong guest list. Other guests included Richardsons Capital, The Co-operative Bank, Deloitte and Eversheds.

Barberry’s current major projects include a £50 million superstore development in Coventry, a complete transformation of Phoenix and Lion Way retail parks in Swansea, and a major residential project in Droitwich Spa.

The Bishop Gate complex in Coventry city centre will see hundreds of jobs created by the retail-led scheme to transform the former Royal Mail Sorting Office. The site will feature a supermarket superstore of up to 130,000 sq ft, a gym/leisure facility and a multi storey car park providing 585 car spaces.

Phoenix Retail Park, which is located within four miles of Swansea city centre, was acquired by Barberry in 2007 and has undergone extensive improvements to include full refurbishment of six retail units, totalling 65,000 sq ft, and a major redesign of the car park and access roads.

Yew Tree Village, a residential development in Droitwich Spa, will provide 800 new homes, 40% of which will be affordable social housing. The scheme includes an education contribution of up to £1 million, significant potential for job creation, around 40% of open space including an orchard, allotments, ponds, adventure playground and sports pitches, as well as new cycleways and footpaths.

Barberry is a privately-owned development and investment company established in 1991 and based in the West Midlands. The company is active in all sectors of the property market and has a reputation for creating investments for institutional markets. Barberry has also completed several partnership and joint venture developments.

From left to right, Steve Pamely - Co-operative Bank (Senior Corporate Manager), Martyn Cartwright - Barberry (Director) Jon Bellfield - Barberry (Managing Director)

The Co-operative Bank in Birmingham has provided a seven figure loan towards the funding of Barberry Developments’ ambitious £50m Bishop Gate development in Coventry.

Hundreds of jobs will be created by the retail-led scheme to transform the former Royal Mail Sorting Centre and adjoining properties including 50 Bishop Street in Coventry city centre.

West Midlands-based Barberry acquired the buildings and plans to replace them with a complex to be called Bishop Gate. The development will feature a supermarket superstore of up to 130,000sq ft, a gym/leisure facility with swimming pool in a 20,000sq ft unit, 585 parking spaces, landscaping and vehicular access and a pedestrian crossing link to replace an existing footbridge.

The proposals were recently granted outline planning consent by Coventry City Council’s planning committee and if full planning permission is granted, work on site is due to start in late 2011.

The seven figure loan towards the total cost of the development was provided by the Birmingham corporate banking centre (CBC) of The Co-operative Bank in Colmore Row.

Steve Pamely, senior corporate manager at the Birmingham CBC, said: “We have known Barberry Developments for a long time and have been their principal bankers for almost 15 years.

“Our lending to Barberry proves the benefits of the Bank’s strategy of developing long-term relationships with customers that have clear and proven corporate strategies.”

Jon Bellfield, managing director of Barberry Developments, said: “The Bank pulled out all the stops to enable us to exchange contracts within 10 days on the Royal Mail Sorting Office.

“We have since acquired adjoining properties. We are delighted with the progress we have been able to make in obtaining consent for such a comprehensive scheme and we are now in dialogue with several major retailers.”

The developers behind the multi-million pound proposals to create a new village community in Worcestershire with 800 new home have unveiled their exciting vision for the area.

Martyn Cartwright said Yew Tree Village, Droitwich, would provide an exceptional quality of life for all residents – including young people seeking their first homes and senior citizens enjoying high class facilities at the proposed retirement village.

The scheme would also create hundreds of jobs both during the construction and, in the long term, at the local centre and retirement village.

“This site offers an excellent opportunity to create a vibrant new addition to the existing community, with a carbon footprint that is minimized by helping to create a quality of life that is exceptional,” said Mr Cartwright, director of Barberry Developments.

“Yew Tree Village will have homes for people at all stages of life along with health facilities, local shops and a generous amount of high quality public open space to create a new village community.”

Mr Cartwright is keen to dispel many of the popular misconceptions concerning the development and has offered to create a steering group including Droitwich residents. Local people would then be able to work together with the developers and planners with the opportunity to influence the proposals as they move forward.

Barberry carried out extensive consultations after unveiling the scheme, in Droitwich, earlier this year. Many of the views expressed are reflected in the planning application, for outline planning consent, which has been submitted to Wychavon District Council by the Belbroughton-based developers. The council is now carrying out a three-week consultation.

Mr Cartwright said Yew Tree Village, which will include 40% social housing, would begin to address the growing demand for new homes in the Droitwich area.

The scheme includes an education contribution of up to £1 million, significant potential for job creation, around 40% of open space including an orchard, allotments, adventure playground and sports pitches, as well as new cycleways and footpaths.

Mr Cartwright added: “Of course we are aware that whenever a new housing development is proposed there will always be people that support the idea and those that oppose it. We have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds in contracting leading consultants to ensure that the masterplan creates a high quality retirement village scheme that is specific to the site and the surrounding context.

“With the adopted green belt, flood plain, M5 and few existing brown field opportunities within the town there is limited scope for Droitwich to provide suitable sites to meet future growth needs.  Yew Tree Village is therefore one of only a few deliverable opportunities.

“The fact is that there is a huge demand in Worcestershire, and indeed across the UK, for new private homes and social housing and without schemes of this nature we will never begin to address that shortfall.

“The application at Yew Tree Village provides for a 40% allocation of affordable housing.  This is significantly in excess of Wychavon’s current adopted requirement under the 2006 local plan of 30%, and meets the aspirations of emerging policy. This level of allocation is also in acknowledgment of the considerable under provision over the previous years.”

He added: “The application makes provision for an education contribution, depending on the final housing mix, of between £700,000 and £1,050,000 in accordance with the education authorities requirements. The development will provide additional footpaths, cycle ways and bridle paths connecting into existing routes.  The scheme will provide additional bus stops, lay-bys and funding for a bus service through the development.”

Approximately 40% of the development will be open space providing equipped children’s play areas, adults/youth outdoor sports facilities and casual outdoor space.  In addition, financial contributions will be made towards more formal offsite sports pitches.

The development provides for allotments and a community orchard.  A local centre will be provided with local re-cycling facilities. It will also provide for a retirement village with up to 200 units and apartments, both meeting future demand and addressing the current shortfall in care provision in Wychavon.

Mr Cartwright added: “The development will provide significant employment opportunities not only in construction jobs in the short term but, in the longer term, significant employment opportunities in the local centre and the extra care village. Wychavon can currently only demonstrate a housing land supply between 2.07 and 3.3 years depending on the method of analysis used.  In any event this is a significant shortfall from the five-year supply required by central government.”

Droitwich is the largest town in Wychavon, providing a range of higher order services and facilities to existing residents.  As such it is expected that the town will provide significant growth over the proposed plan period to 2030 as a higher order settlement.

For more information visit www.yewtreevillage.co.uk.

A neglected area of Coventry city centre could be transformed – and hundreds of jobs could be created – after proposals for an exciting new multi-million-pound superstore were given the go-ahead by planners.

West Midlands-based Barberry Developments’ ambitious proposals for the £50 million Bishop Gate development were granted outline planning consent by Coventry City Council’s planning committee today (Thursday, June 2).

The company purchased the 200,000 sq ft former Royal Mail Sorting Centre and adjoining properties, including 50 Bishop Street, last year and submitted an application seeking planning permission for a large and comprehensive retail-led scheme on the site. The development will be known as Bishop Gate. Barberry is a privately-owned development and investment company established in 1991 and is based in Belbroughton, Worcestershire.

Henry Bellfield, director of Barberry Developments, said: “We are grateful for the support of the planning committee and that they share our vision of transforming this part of Coventry city centre with the Bishop Gate development.

“Following the closure of the Royal Mail Sorting Office this part of the city centre is in desperate need of new investment and redevelopment.  We are pleased that we can now press ahead with our proposals which are very exciting and will create hundreds of jobs for local people. ”

He added: “We will continue to work closely with the council on the scheme to incorporate a supermarket superstore, a fitness/leisure centre and associated on-site car parking.”

Councillor Linda Bigham, Coventry City Council’s cabinet member for city development, said: “This is great news for Coventry and it shows the belief that there is out there in our city.  It will transform a tired area of the city centre and create local jobs for local people – so it really is good news all around.”

It is hoped that work could begin on site later this year. The existing Royal Mail building will be demolished. The proposals include removing the pedestrian bridge across the ring road to the canal basin and replacing it with a ground level crossing, improving the connectivity of the city centre and the canal basin.

Councillor Kevin Maton, chair of planning committee said, “Planning has a key role to play in ensuring that major developments like this are appropriate for the location and are the right scale and size.  We also like to ensure that they contribute to the local community so we welcome their proposal to invest over £70,000 in improvements to the canal tow path.”

Mr Bellfield added: “Coventry City Council has been very positive in terms of supporting the development proposals. There is a positive sentiment in the council and officers and councillors are motivated to see great things happen. We believe our development fits in perfectly with the regeneration master-plan for the city centre which sets out the council’s vision for the future.”

The development proposals include:

·                 A supermarket superstore of up to 130,000 sq ft including a mezzanine level.

·                 585 car parking spaces on three levels.

·                 Gym/leisure facility with swimming pool in 20,000 sq ft unit.

·                 Boulevard-style pedestrianised zones.

·                 Landscaping including trees, high quality street furniture and paving.

·                 An 8,000 sq ft ‘green’ roof.

·                 Vehicle access off junction one of the ring road into Tower Street.

·                 Pedestrian crossing link to canal basin, replacing the existing footbridge.

The deal was announced by Worcestershire-based Barberry Developments who recently completed refurbishment of the 12,000 sq ft unit at Lion Way Retail Park as part of its ongoing commitment to the South Wales city.

There are four retail units at the site. One is occupied by Farm Foods while two others – from 1,200 sq ft up to 9,430 sq ft – are available to let on competitive terms.

Barberry director Henry Bellfield said: “Poundstretcher is a very well known brand and a highly valued client of ours so we are delighted that they have agreed to take a new 15-year lease at Lion Way Retail Park. This deal is good news for the overall retail provision in Swansea.”

Barberry acquired the first generation retail park from Threadneedle in July 2008.  It is located north of Swansea city centre on the established Swansea Enterprise Park with excellent access to junctions 44/45 of the M4. The area is already a significant retail destination with nearby retailers including Tesco Extra, Halfords, Carpetright, PC World and Comet.

Lion Way Retail Park provides 30,000sqft of open A1 retail accommodation. Barberry has been working with existing tenants to improve the car park and landscaping. Whilst the retail park has always been popular the improvements have further boosted trading activity, added Mr Cartwright.

Poundstretcher spokesman Tim Shattock said: “We have been trading successfully at Lion Way Retail Park for many years and we are delighted to demonstrate our commitment to Swansea by signing a new lease with Barberry Developments.”

Barberry’s announcement follows the recent completion of phase one of its £1 million transformation of the neighbouring Phoenix Retail Park in Swansea, South Wales. The popular shopping destination has had extensive improvements including full refurbishment of six retail units totaling 65,000 sq ft and a major redesign of the car park and access roads.

Mr Bellfield added: “We have also carried out extensive improvements at the neighbouring Phoenix Retail Park which we have made much more car and pedestrian friendly. It is now a very attractive open A1 retail park. We are sure that the work carried out at both retail parks will result in much higher footfall.”

The completion of phase one, which includes six units, was marked with the launch of the new Home Bargains store at Easter. Other units in phase one include B&M Retail, operators of the B&M Bargains chain of stores who have taken a new 15-year lease, and Carpet Clearance Superstore. Phase two, the refurbishment of the 20,000 sq ft former Halfords store, will be completed by July.

For more information on remaining units visit www.barberry.co.uk or contact agents Morgan Williams on 0207 4934455 or Fletcher Morgan on 02920 378921.

It’s turning into a momentous year in more ways then one for Henry Bellfield, director of Barberry Developments.

The man leading the plans to build a £50 million superstore on the site of Coventry’s former Royal Mail Sorting Centre recently celebrated a very special delivery of his own with the birth of his first child.

Bellfield junior arrived in the world within hours of the massive superstore scheme being unveiled at a public consultation. And if he’s having sleepless nights it’s more likely to be because baby needs feeding, rather than any concerns over the progress of the planning application.

The 33-year-old, who lives in Belbroughton, and the Barberry team have developed a first class working relationship with Coventry City Council since meeting them at MIPIM in Cannes in 2010. This year he joined the authority’s delegation at the annual property event as it seeks to put the city on the international stage.

It was that first meeting with the Coventry team that planted the seed of the idea of Barberry making a major investment in the city which is undergoing an ambitious regeneration programme under its Jerde Masterplan.

Henry said: “There is a real positive sentiment in the council and both officers and councillors are motivated to see great things happen. We believe our development fits in perfectly with the regeneration masterplan for the city centre which sets out the council’s vision for the future.”

Worcestershire-based Barberry purchased the 200,000 sq ft former Royal Mail Sorting Centre and adjoining properties, including 50 Bishop Street, last year and is seeking planning permission for a large and comprehensive retail-led scheme on the 3.5-acre site. The development will be known as Bishop Gate.

Henry said: “Following the closure of the Royal Mail Sorting Office this part of the city centre is in desperate need of new investment and redevelopment.  The plans are hugely exciting and will create hundreds of jobs for local people. The scheme, which totals circa 400,000 sq ft, incorporates a supermarket superstore, a health and fitness club and associated on-site car parking.

“We took into account the views expressed during the consultation exercise and we submitted an application for outline planning consent for Bishop Gate in March. It’s a clear demonstration of our commitment to both the project and the city.

“There is a huge amount of work involved in reaching this stage with a project of this magnitude but we are now looking forward to delivering a scheme which will transform this neglected part of the city centre.”

If planning consent is granted next month (June) it is hoped that work could begin on site later this year. The existing Royal Mail building would be demolished. The proposals include removing the pedestrian bridge across the ring road to the canal basin and replacing it with a ground level crossing.  The move would greatly improve the connectivity and “walkability” of the city centre and the canal basin.

After getting a degree in real estate at Reading University, Henry continued his property education at DTZ working in several departments but focusing on capital markets. During that time he worked alongside many well-known West Midlands property figures, including Justin Parker who is now managing director at Mucklow. After five years he left to join Barberry.

If the name Barberry isn’t familiar, its developments almost certainly will be. Henry’s father Jon Bellfield and business partner Paul Watson launched Barberry Developments in 1990. Since then it has delivered major office developments in Birmingham’s business district, including Temple Court, No 1 Colmore Square and One Colmore Row. Other projects include the acclaimed Hotel Du Vin and several retail and industrial developments across the UK.

The company has also just announced the completion of phase one of its £1 million transformation of the Phoenix Retail Park in Swansea, South Wales. The popular shopping destination is undergoing extensive improvements including full refurbishment of six retail units totalling 65,000 sq ft and a major redesign of the car park and access roads.

A fully-let, extensively refurbished retail investment property in Cheltenham has also recently exchanged hands in a £1.2million deal. Barberry sold the 6,800 sq ft property in Pittville Street, Cheltenham, to a family trust after carrying out a full renovation programme of the former TSB bank.

The company bought the vacant property in 2008 in a dilapidated state and transformed it into an attractive mixed-use scheme occupied by two retailers and a ladies-only gym with an annual rental income of £100,000.

Barberry decided to sell the property to recycle funds to reinvest in other opportunities it had earmarked in what Henry described as “a change of direction” for the Belbroughton-based developers. The rationale behind selling is to look to reinvest the proceeds into new opportunities.

Henry added: “We are beginning to make the first tentative steps back into the development arena. We are starting to see a number of good quality sites available at levels or within financial structures which are starting to look viable. The focus is more than ever on the occupier/end user and therefore we are seeking opportunities in locations and sectors where we have confidence in the occupational markets.  The Barberry team has considerable experience in all the major property sectors and as a privately owned business with an established equity base we are able to offer a flexible and innovative approach every step of the way.”

Barberry Developments has announced the completion of phase one of its £1 million transformation of the Phoenix Retail Park in Swansea, South Wales.

The popular shopping destination is undergoing extensive improvements including full refurbishment of six retail units totaling 65,000 sq ft and a major redesign of the car park and access roads.

The completion of phase one, which includes six units, will be marked with the launch of the new Home Bargains store in time for Easter trading, said Barberry director Martyn Cartwright. Other units in phase one include B&M Retail, operators of the B&M Bargains chain of stores who have taken a new 15-year lease, and Carpet Clearance Superstore.

Phase two, the refurbishment of the 20,000 sq ft former Halfords store, will be completed by July.

Worcestershire-based Barberry, which acquired the first generation retail park in 2007, has carried out an extensive refurbishment of the site including re-configuring the 240-space car park to make it more user-friendly, and will be providing a new access road from Fendrod Way to the front of the scheme. It is a well-established retail destination with nearby retailers including Tesco Extra, Carpet Right and Comet, said Mr Cartwright.

“The extensive improvements we have carried out at Phoenix Retail Park have made it much more car and pedestrian friendly and a very attractive open A1 retail park. We are sure that the work carried out will result in much higher footfall.

“All the units in phase one have been re-clad with new glazed feature entrances, giving the whole site a facelift. We have also got planning consent to improve access for motorists. In the car park, we have installed better lighting, widened footpaths and provided better access for the disabled. Walkways also now have rain protection, so the shopping experience is vastly improved all round.”

B&M Retail has moved into unit one on Phoenix Retail Park and has been trading successfully since opening last year. It is one of the UK’s fastest growing retailers with 190 stores. Its massive growth is attributed to rising customer awareness as the company’s geographic footprint extends. The stores attract over 1 million shoppers per week, helping them to achieve a 140% growth in profits in 2009.

Simon Arora, managing director of B&M Retail, said: “As we have experienced unprecedented growth since our formation in 2004, we have been looking to expand further south from our home market in the North West for quite some time. Having the larger store at Phoenix Retail Park means we are now even better equipped to serve the needs of our customers in Swansea and the surrounding area. Phoenix Retail Park is an ideal location close to the centre of Swansea yet provides the floor space we require. We are certain that this will be a wise move for us and footfall to the new store will be high.”

Phoenix Retail Park is ideally located within four miles of Swansea city centre and has excellent access to junctions 44/45 of the M4.  Barberry gained planning permission to improve the access roads from Phoenix Way into the retail park including a new access road from Fendrod Way to the front of the scheme. For information on the remaining units visit www.phoenixretailpark.co.uk or contact agents Morgan Williams on 0207 4934455 or Fletcher Morgan on 02920 378921.