A £25 million development of a York shopping centre to include a new Primark store has been approved.

City of York councillors voted to give the development for Monks Cross Shopping Park the go-ahead at a planning meeting last night. Only two councillors opposed the scheme, while 14 councillors welcomed the development, which they said was a sign of a new age of retail.

Coun Barbara Boyce said: “We have all got to accept that retail is changing, evolving and moving on.

“We have to allow Monks Cross occupants to have the size of residence that they need for their customers.”

The approval of the revamp will be vital in securing the future of the retail park as two of its biggest stores, Next and M&S, will move to the neighbouring Vangarde retail park next year.

The Press has previously reported that Primark also wants to open a city-centre store in Piccadilly.

The Monks Cross expansion is expected to create 112 jobs and Primark will occupy the unit formed by combining the M&S store, Laura Ashley and Sports Direct.

Eric Hall, of TDH Estates, Monks Cross Shopping Park’s planning agents, said he was “delighted” the proposal had been approved.

He said: “It means we can progress with confirming our programme to ensure the park continues to offer a first-class shopping experience.

“The success of Monks Cross over the last 15 years has been its ability to complement the city centre by providing units for retailers who also have a presence in York city centre, and we look forward to continuing to work to this principle.”

The approval comes only 15 months after previous plans to expand the shopping centre were rejected.