'Remarkable progress' being made on designer outlet

New drone imagery shows the progress of Cotswolds Designer Outlet

About three-quarters of retail space at an under-construction designer outlet has been snapped up by household brands.

Cotswolds Designer Outlet, which is being built next to the M5 at Ashchurch, near Tewkesbury, is due to open in spring 2025.

Nine months into construction, the steel frames are 90% complete, with 6,000 steel beams and columns installed.

About 75% of the space is now committed or in legal discussions with fashion, sport, lifestyle and food and beverage brands, developer Robert Hitchins Ltd said.

Work is well underway on the designer shopping centre

Once completed, the outlet is expected to create up to 500 new retail jobs across more than 55 individual stores and restaurants, in addition to roles in the management and operations of the outlet centre itself.

Simon Tothill, from Robert Hitchins Ltd, said "remarkable progress" had been made on phase one of the project by lead contractor Bouygues UK.

He added that "a line-up of fashion, lifestyle, homewares, sports and F&B brands will make Cotswolds Designer Outlet a must-visit destination".

'Incredibly busy'

Following the completion of the steel structures, the next stages of the programme will include completing the building envelopes, followed by externals and landscaping, before units are handed over to the new tenants for their internal fit outs.

Bouygues UK’s managing director for the South West and Wales, John Boughton, said the site team has been "incredibly busy".

"On average, we have around 100 people working on site each day and the stunning drone videos show just how far we’ve come," he said.