Preston IKEA location confirmed as planning application is submitted for new Plan and Order Point in the city

Five years on from the collapse of its plans to open an IKEA in Bamber Bridge due to rising costs, the superstore has pushed forward to open at Deepdale Trade Park. The Swedish flat-pack giant announced in October that one of its new Plan and Order Points (POP) would be opening in the city. A planning application submitted to Preston City Council has revealed the store would be situated in Unit M1, which was occupied by Toolstation until 2019. The scaled-down store off Blackpool Road would mainly be used for click and collect, with a small part of the 520 sq m unit being given over to kitchen and bedroom planning services. The focus will be on bespoke kitchen and wardrobe designs, although customers will be able to get help planning any room in their home. Customer orders will be transported to the customer’s home, or made available for collection to another convenient point of delivery. If the store gets approval, customers will be able to either book an appointment online, or walk in without a reservation. it would also mean five fulltime job opportunities.

The Swedish furniture company first established interest in a Preston site back in late 2016, after plans to build a new store in Lancashire which would create 4,500 jobs were announced. The first phase of construction was planned to start in 2018. However the retail giants left Lancashire County Council feeling “extremely disappointed” when suddenly revealing they were pulling out of the deal. A month earlier it was revealed the cost of earthworks had risen from £2million to £4m and, as a result, the company said the ‘increased development costs and delays outside of IKEA’s control’ no longer made the location viable.

The Preston store would be open from 10am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, and 11am to 5pm on Sundays.

Marsha Smith, Deputy Country Retail Manager, IKEA UK and Ireland, previously told the Post: “Our investment in the north west is part of our long-term plan to transform our retail business, making it easier for our customers to shop with us in a number of convenient ways."