UK retailer Sainsbury‘s is to open a GBP40m (US$62.1m) product development centre in Warwickshire, in the West Midlands.
The retailer said it has submitted an application to open the centre, which will include a mock retail space – not open to the public – designed to enable Sainsbury’s to develop and test new product lines.
The plans submitted to Rugby Borough Council include the development centre, a car park and support facilities, including an energy centre which will link to an “enhanced biomass boiler” to provide sustainable energy for the site.
“Sainsbury’s has already announced its intention to grow its non-food business to GBP1bn as part of its ‘20 by 20′ vision,” said Sainsbury’s town planning manager, Paul Green. “The proposed product development centre will support our aim to provide state-of-the-art facilities at the new store support centre in Ansty Park to help meet Sainsbury’s ambitious plans for the future.”
In March, Sainsbury announced plans to move it general merchandise and clothing centre, currently situated at the Walsgrave Triangle, to Ansty Park. The relocation will see all 530 employees transfer to the new site.
