Ikea moves to high streets

Last updated at 16:23 17 June 2005


Ikea today announced plans for a new store as part of its drive to create more accessible outlets across the UK.

The retailer revealed details of the proposed site next to an Underground station at Hillingdon, north-west London.

At 20,000 square metres large, the store would be housed in a three-storey building along with a restaurant and residential flats.

It would be located around nine miles from Brent Park - the site of the busiest Ikea in the world.

The retailer will submit a planning permission application to the London Borough of Hillingdon within the next fortnight.

Ikea's UK property manager Scott Cordrey said: "The concept will be very different to anything we have built before in the IKEA world.

"This will be a bench mark for retailers in the M25 area both in flexibility and environmental measures."

The Hillingdon site is part of Ikea's drive to bring its stores closer to its customers and

reduce their travelling.

If planning permission is granted the multi-storey site will create an estimated 500 posts for sales staff, chefs, engineers,

administrators, designers, carpenters and customer service staff.

Another 10 Ikea stores are to open across the UK over the next three years, the retailer has said.

The next store opening will be in Milton Keynes next January.

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