The skyline at Norcross is already starting to change as building work gets under way on huge new 21,500 sq ft Marks and Spencer Food Hall.
And for the first time, M&S have set a time scale for the store’s opening.
The new store off Norcross Lane will feature a 16,000 sq ft sales area. It will offer 6,600 product lines, a 360-degree walk-around cheese barge, an indoor plant sales area, and 145 parking spaces, creating around 50 jobs
This week, work was continuing on the site, with the first steel structure being erected as diggers worked on the site.
An M&S spokesman said: “Timings wise we are looking at early Spring next year, however there will be an update on more exact date nearer the time.”
In tandem with the new store opening, the existing M&S food store on Victoria Road West in Cleveleys town centre is expected to close around the time the Norcross outlet opens.
The impending closure of this much smaller store has led to a protest campaign to try and keep it open, as residents say the location of the new one is inaccessible for older people who do not have the use of a car.
They also argue it will be detrimental to Cleveleys town centre itself, pulling shoppers away from the high street.
The proposals for a new store were approved by Wyre planning in October last year, subject to a 106 agreement. This required the developers to confirm financial contributions towards Travel Planning and to appropriately secure Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), without which the store plans would not be able to proceed.
In December the final agreement was reached, signalling that the project could press ahead, subject to various planning conditions being met.
Meanwhile, a major housing scheme of 300 homes is progressing on the neighbouring former DWP site, via developer McDermott Homes.

Resort’s adult care service improvements praised by minister
Blackpool blind teenager creates app to help other people with sight loss
Thornton-Cleveleys allotment sites formally determined as contaminated land
St Annes International Kite Festival soars back for 2027
Major update on plans for iconic Grade II-listed listed Marsh Mill
New use proposed for former ambulance station in Thornton
Calls for motorhome park on Blackpool Central site earmarked for 20,000-seater arena
Blackpool in final four to be named UK City of Culture 2029


