M&S store and 20 creative studios coming to Purley’s former Milk & More site. Project includes job creation and building restoration.
Purley’s community strongly backed the designs, and Croydon Council’s planning team approved the project. It supports the mayor’s plan to revive the borough, bringing jobs and investment to Croydon.
The dairy’s three buildings, featuring locally listed frontages, will be fixed up so people can use them again. New buildings will sit back from the old dairy, with their design highlighting the dairy’s history. The project will create about 120 new jobs, fifty-five of which will be at the M&S store.
A new hub for creative people will be built, featuring 20 studios, including two large, open studios located above a 68-space car park. The studios aim to help Croydon’s creative businesses and support flexible working styles.
Grove Property submitted the planning request, working with M&S on the store design and speaking with locals for their input. Ninety-six percent of people backed Grove Property’s plan, and the council got 582 letters supporting the project.
The new Foodhall boosts M&S’s presence in Croydon, adding to existing stores in the Whitgift Centre and on Purley Way. Croydon’s mayor says the project shows good teamwork, where investors, the community, and the council designed a project that gives benefits to everyone.
He is happy to see historic buildings restored, keeping their original style. M&S opening a Foodhall in Purley shows the interest retailers have in investing in the area.
The mayor also welcomes the job creation and the opportunities the studios offer for entrepreneurs, which he says benefits Croydon’s economy.
Grove Property wanted to revitalize the area after buying the site from Milk & More. Working with the council and M&S allowed them to move forward, and they are excited for the next step, which will bring jobs and investment.
M&S aims to have the right stores in good locations to give customers a great shopping experience. They are happy to open a Foodhall, creating 55 local jobs.
The new store will help local suppliers and offers shoppers fresh produce from M&S Select Farm Partners.