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Details of M&S plan for Toys R Us store revealed

Alice Cunningham
BBC News, Suffolk
Ipswich Borough Council An artist's impression of what the new M&S store at the Copdock Interchange could look like. It shows a large square white building with the M&S logo on the front on a large window. A car park sits in front of the store.Ipswich Borough Council
This is what the new M&S store at Copdock could look like if planning permission is granted

Marks & Spencer (M&S) says a new "flagship store" will be designed to "meet the needs of local shoppers" in Ipswich as it submits plans.

The retailer announced plans to open a new food and clothing store within the former Toys R Us shop at the Copdock Interchange in November.

Its existing store in Ipswich town centre on Westgate Street will remain open and M&S has officially submitted its plans to Babergh District Council for consideration.

The plans reveal M&S will partly demolish the Toys R Us building, while the new store will help employ 124 people.

The new store will include a food hall, clothing area, cafe and car parking for 328 customers and 43 staff members.

The application added that the development would "complement, rather than compete with, the existing retail offer and improve customer choice and competition in Ipswich".

Shannon Eustace/BBC A view of the front of the M&S store in the centre of Ipswich. The white building has the name of the store above the entrance. Shoppers can be seen walking past.Shannon Eustace/BBC
M&S says it will keep its Ipswich town centre branch open

The site has been vacant since 2018 when Toys R Us went into administration.

M&S wants to remove an existing wall within the building as well as demolish a small area to the rear to create a larger service yard.

Matthew Hicks, the Conservative leader of Suffolk County Council, previously welcomed the news of the new store.

"We fully support this deal with M&S because it retains their long-standing presence in the town centre whilst also breathing new life into a very visible entrance to Ipswich that has lain vacant for so long," he said.

The council will consider the application before making a decision in the future.

Will Smith, property director at M&S, said he was "excited" the plans had moved one step forward.

"We have the opportunity to transform a vacant site into one of the most modern shopping destinations in the UK and offer residents the very best of M&S Food, Fashion and Beauty," he said.

"The new store would enable us to grow our footprint in Ipswich, building on our existing presence, create new jobs for the community and bring new investment to the area."

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