A £75million transformation of the Trafford Centre will see a new flagship Primark store take centre stage in an expanded Barton Square.

Work will begin on the multi-million pound makeover of Barton Square later this year, with a completion date set for early next year.

Primark, currently restricted to a section of Selfridges, will move into a giant new two-storey unit in Barton Square, taking advantage of the 110,000sq ft of new retail space.

Northwich Guardian:

When it opens its doors, it will be one of the biggest Primark stores in the country, second only to its sister store in Market Street, Manchester.

Images of what the redesigned Barton Square will look like reveal a sleek new glass-domed roof and a fully redesigned interior.

Trafford Centre bosses have teased that a number of new stores and popular brands are preparing to take up residence in the redesigned square.

Colin Flinn, regional managing director at the Trafford Centre, said: “There’s nowhere else quite like intu Trafford Centre and we’re now investing £75 million to deliver a new space with a real ‘wow factor’ that will bring more brands and unique experiences to make our shoppers smile.

Northwich Guardian:

“Many of the things that make intu Trafford Centre so special will be extended into the Barton Square area of centre, allowing us to attract quality new brands and provide even more for people to shop, eat, play and do. We’re bringing a Primark store to intu Trafford Centre and will be announcing a number of other new retail and leisure operators soon.”

Anchor tenants at Barton Square currently include M&S Home, Laura Ashley, Next HOME and HomeSense. It is also home to family attractions Legoland Discovery Centre and Sea Life.

But it is understood that the current tenants will not be affected by the redesign and will remain at their current sites for the foreseeable future.

Primark will open in the former BHS Home unit, which is currently vacant.

Work to revamp Barton Square will begin later this year, with the space set to benefit from a giant glazed roof which will provide shelter from Manchester’s ‘prevailing weather conditions’.

Northwich Guardian:

The multi-million pound expansion, headed by contractors Vinci, will also create an extra 110,000sq ft of retail and leisure space.

John Roberts, regional director at Vinci, added: “Trafford Centre is already one of the best places to shop in the UK and is known around the world for its unique design and architecture.

“The work we are carrying out at Barton Square will create a fantastic new area befitting this architecturally-rich building.

“The quality of the materials and design will create a space that shoppers will be able to enjoy for many years to come.”

Northwich Guardian:

Barton Square opened in 2008 at a cost of £90 million to house larger furniture and homeware stores such as Next at the shopping centre.

Planning permission was first secured in 2011 for the project, which will see the courtyard covered by a central glazed dome roof to create an enclosed shopping space in sync with the rest of the centre.