By Liz HearnshawA PROPOSED £75million redevelopment of a town centre has been given a major boost after a leading department store agreed to open an outlet there.

By Liz Hearnshaw

A PROPOSED £75million redevelopment of a town centre has been given a major boost after a leading department store agreed to open an outlet there.

Debenhams confirmed yesterday it would occupy an 85,000 sq ft store on the Cattle Market in Bury St Edmunds once work on the mix of residential and retail buildings planned for the site has been completed.

The three-storey clam shell-shaped store will be the anchor of the new development, which will also include 35 smaller retail units, 56 residential apartments and a 500-seat, multi-purpose public venue.

Designed by Hopkins Architects and developed by Centros Miller, the exterior of the store will be clad in zinc, which will develop a sheen with age to form a landmark structure on the Kings Road side of the build.

It is thought the outlet will provide about 100 jobs, with a further 400 possible positions on offer at the remainder of the retailers on the site.

Jim Murphy, property director for Debenhams, said: “The architecture of the scheme is excellent, maintaining as it does the traditional open streets of the market town.

“We are delighted to be returning to Bury St Edmunds into the Centros Miller scheme, which will give the town a stronghold and competitive position in the regional retail hierarchy.”

A final public consultation on the Cattle Market redevelopment was launched with an exhibition in town.

Over the next two weeks, 40,000 leaflets will also be delivered to homes across the borough to gain more opinion on the project before a decision is taken on granting planning permission.

Building work is expected to start on the scheme next year, with completion due in 2007.

liz.hearnshaw@eadt.co.uk