The £50 million Plymouth Cross redevelopment of the former Derry’s department store will open for business in 2019, creating over 100 new jobs.
Construction work on the ambitious mixed-use development is gathering pace, with the project approaching several key milestones in converting the building from a disused but fondly remembered store into a busy new hub for Plymouth.
Each of the nine new retail and leisure units will attract a shop, café or restaurant that will employ at least eight staff. The 110-room Premier Inn and its Thyme restaurant will bring another 30 new jobs. And Homes for Students will also need 10 staff to service the student flats and communal areas for its 500 residents.
The new retail units are now being presented to national and international brands, with the first deals likely to be signed later this year.
Thames Bank, the developer driving the project for the past five years, believes Plymouth Cross will add momentum to other West End regeneration – including new housing at Colin Campbell Court and the former Plymouth Civic Centre.
Thames Bank director Colin Morris said: “£50m is going into Plymouth Cross, transforming a landmark building into a vibrant and dynamic destination for residents and visitors and creating a modern gateway into the city’s retail heart.
“Generations of Plymouth people – and those from wider afield in Devon and Cornwall – have fond memories of trips to Derry’s. We know they’ll be delighted to see what we have done with the building by preserving the best of its landmark architecture, whilst creating great spaces inside. 2019 is going to be a very exciting year for the West End.”
The new retail units range in size from circa 1,300 sqft to 4,000 sqft. The agents are Stratton Creber Commercial in Plymouth and Knight Frank in London.
