Contracts signed for Waitrose and John Lewis at home store in Basingstoke

Muse Developments, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Basing View development partner, has confirmed that contracts have been signed with The John Lewis Partnership to deliver the store.

The store will add a retail element to the £200 million Basing View regeneration scheme, which is hoped will create around 650,000 sq ft of new commercial led development over 15 acres, including a mix of new office space and a business class hotel.

A detailed planning submission for the first phase of the scheme has now been submitted to the borough council’s planning unit.

Mike Auger, regional director for Muse, said: “This is fantastic news for Basing View. The combined John Lewis and Waitrose store will be only the second of its kind in the UK and a great anchor for the scheme. We now await the decision by the planning committee very early next year and following a successful outcome we would hope to be on site in the spring.”

Nigel Keen, property director for The John Lewis Partnership, added: “Although there is still a long way to go, this is an important step forward and brings us closer to realising a long-standing ambition to bring both our brands to Basingstoke.”

Members of the public were invited to attend a consultation event on the scheme and 99 per cent supported the plans for the first phase.

Councillor Ranil Jayawardena, deputy leader of the council, who is leading the Basing View project, said: “As the landowner, we welcome this further step forward in bringing such high profile retailers to Basingstoke, as part of the Basing View regeneration. This will be a significant additional draw to the town centre and shows the confidence of major companies in our area’s future success.”