THE first pictures of how York’s new Primark store will look have been released as work gets under way on the Monks Cross site.

As of this week, workers are now on site at the shopping centre, carrying out the preliminary stages of work to create a 75,000sq ft store to house the discount retailer.

Although Primark is yet to reveal an opening date, the company has confirmed it will be creating 222 new jobs to run the Monks Cross store.

The posts will be in addition to 151 new jobs being created by Primark as part of its proposed city centre store at the Coppergate Centre.

The deal to bring Primark to Monks Cross has been in negotiation for more than two years, with a lease agreement announced in September last year following planning approval being granted in August 2013.

Primark will be moving into an enlarged unit, with 57,600sq ft of retail space made up of three empty units which were previously occupied by Marks & Spencer, Sports Direct and Laura Ashley.

Katherine Sharp, centre manager at Monks Cross, which is also set to welcome a new Clarks shoe store later this month, said: “Monks Cross Shopping has worked tirelessly with Primark on continued negotiations over the past two years and we are delighted we can now begin the works to realise the ambition of bringing the much-anticipated retailer to Monks Cross.”

A spokesperson from Primark, which has remained tight-lipped about opening dates for both the new York stores, said: “We look forward to opening a store at Monks Cross Shopping, providing our customers with amazing fashion at amazing prices.”

As part of its “two-store strategy” for York, Primark’s lease deal at Coppergate was confirmed in January this year by the shopping centre’s manager, who earlier this month revealed the store is likely to open next spring, at the earliest.

The Coppergate store will also be subject to renovations, with the unit, formerly home to an M&S Home store, set to feature a new first-floor level, creating 34,400sq ft of retail space.

Sue Anderson Brown, Coppergate Centre manager, said: “Extension work on the store is due to start imminently, but it’s not a straightforward job.

“ It is unlikely Primark will be trading until early spring next year.”