US fashion giant Forever 21 is to open a store at Lakeside, Essex, Retail Week can reveal.

The fast fashion retailer moves into a specially designed 35,000 sq ft unit within the developer Capital Shopping Centres’ scheme which combines the existing Topshop and Topman store and a new roof box and mezzanine level. The store is scheduled to open for Christmas 2013.

Topshop and Topman will relocate into a 31,500 sq ft. flagship store, in premises currently filled by Clinton Cards plus the top floor of BHS.  The store will open in December this year.

The lower level of BHS will be fully refitted to its latest format and will open in September.

Capital Shopping Centres property director Caroline Kirby said: “CSC will be investing £8m in this redevelopment. To create not one, but three major new fashion flagships demonstrates the continued success and attractiveness of Lakeside to both retail partners and customers.”

Forever 21 has only one UK store open at the moment, at the Bullring in Birmingham, where it debuted last year. It is due to move into HMV’s store at the west end of Oxford Street, which it purchased for £13.75m, as revealed by Retail Week.

Forever 21 has also signed for stores in Bluewater, Liverpool One and Glasgow’s new Buchanan Street development, all of which are yet-to-open.

Forever 21 was represented by Harper Dennis Hobbs while BHS and Topshop and Topman acted on their own behalf.

Lakeside was represented by Lunson Mitchenall and CWM.

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