Trafford Centre has announced a deal with JD Group to create a giant new flagship store at the world-renowned shopping and leisure destination. Sports and fashion giant JD Group, founded only 15 miles from Trafford Centre, has confirmed plans for the new 42,412 sq ft flagship store, which will be the largest in its global portfolio.

Taking the lower level of the former TopShop unit, the new flagship JD store will embody the brand’s strategy to set the global standard for retail experience through best-in-class operations, connected consumer experiences and the unique delivery of the world’s best sports and fashion brands.

The news comes shortly after the announcement that NEXT signed a new 10-year lease with Trafford Centre to significantly upsize its presence in the centre and bring its fashion, beauty and home offering together in a single 65,000 sq ft store.

Marcus Briggs, Retail Director at Pradera Lateral, said: “This new JD flagship store represents a significant step in enhancing the Trafford Centre offering and we’re delighted to be announcing the news so soon after that of NEXT’s upsize.  Trafford Centre is an iconic and sought-after retail and leisure destination and this kind of increased investment from major retail brands only serves to underline this fact.  It’s a big year for the centre, with more exciting signings to come and significant investment in our dedicated outdoor events programme. We are proud to be building a centre that can truly live up to its strapline as an opportunity to ‘escape the ordinary’.”

James Air, Head of Group Acquisitions, said: “We are delighted to be relocating within the Trafford Centre to deliver a unique flagship. This will be the largest JD store ever from over 3,400 stores globally. The new store will feature a bespoke take on our latest cutting edge concept and will bring more of the very best brands to our loyal customer base in the North West.”