Redevco’s Poole Retail Park in Branksome has today welcomed M&S Food after the iconic British retailer signed a 15-year lease for the former Homebase unit, comprising 44,690 sq ft, to take the park to 94% let.
The new fresh market-style foodhall offers the full range of M&S Food, and benefits from 199 car parking spaces, 58 cycle spaces and four electric vehicle charger points.
Poole Retail Park is already home to a host of national retailers, including John Lewis, Next Home, Home Bargains and Decathlon. The park is ideally located with easy access from major roads by car, bus and bike, as well as dedicated pedestrian routes.
This strategic letting to M&S follows Redevco’s acquisition of a £518 million UK retail park portfolio from Oxford Properties in December 2024, with Poole Retail Park forming part of the portfolio. Since the acquisition, Redevco has continued to drive leasing activity across the parks, attracting a range of leading national retailers and strengthening the offer portfolio-wide.
At Euro Retail Park in Ipswich, Oak Furniture Land has signed for a 12,543 sq ft unit on a 10-year lease and is set to open in August, while Waitrose recently opened its newest store at Chelmer Village Retail Park in Chelmsford. At Bolton Gate Retail Park, The Food Warehouse by Iceland recently replaced Carpetright to open a 10,121 sq ft store, reflecting the continued demand from leading retailers for well-located, convenience-led destinations.
Lauren Chew, senior asset manager at Redevco, said: “The signing of M&S is a strong endorsement of both Poole Retail Park and Redevco’s wider retail park portfolio. It reflects the continued resilience of the UK retail park sector, with accessible destinations offering ample parking and a complementary mix of retailers that continues to attract leading national brands.
“Since acquiring the retail park portfolio in 2024, we have maintained strong leasing momentum across our parks, enhancing the occupier mix and creating destinations that better serve both retailers and local communities.”
Mike Devine, head of acquisitions South, at M&S, said: “Poole Retail Park is our sixth former Homebase store to open and will deliver the very best of M&S Food to customers locally. As one of 20 new stores we’re opening across the UK this financial year, the store is designed to help families get their weekly shop in one trip and will deliver the trusted value, exceptional quality and innovation customers expect from M&S.”
CSP Retail and Green Lane Real Estate are the letting agents at Poole Retail Park for Redevco.
