DOZENS of jobs are being added at The Junction retail and leisure park with the arrival of three new food outlets - Nando's, TGI Fridays and a Starbucks drive-thru.
And it coincides with planning permission being granted for the next building phase of the multi-million-pound scheme outside Antrim.
Construction work will begin next week to complete phase one of the scheme’s masterplan – the food and film zone.
It is part of an overall £30 million redevelopment plan which will create 475 new jobs and pump an £8.4million in wages into the economy.
Innovations to the site will include a new tree lined entrance road, a feature public square and an extensive new landscaping plan.
The Junction retail park was bought by Lotus Property in 2016.
Its senior asset manager Craig Stewart said: “We're delighted to receive confirmation of our new TGI Fridays and Starbucks Drive Thru, as well as planning approval to continue with the implementation of our masterplan at The Junction.
“Our plans are set to transform the retail and leisure offering in Antrim, bringing a range of new brands to the area for the first time.
“From our initial outline planning approval in December 2017, we have worked behind the scenes to push ongoing generation at the site, which has seen new retailers such as McDonald’s, Intersport, Bonmarché and Beauty Outlet to the scheme, as well as the announcement of Nando’s, which is set to arrive later this year.
The announcement follows the recent completion of McDonald’s drive thru and the opening of a new Lidl supermarket. Leading UK toy retailer The Entertainer is also set to open only its second store in Northern Ireland at The Junction last summer.
Colliers and Lambert Smith Hampton worked as joint agents on the deals.
