DEVELOPERS behind plans for a huge £90 million retail scheme on the edge of York have revealed how its new stores would look.

Oakgate (Monks Cross) Ltd has today unveiled the first images of the massive John Lewis and Marks & Spencer stores it wants to create as part of a development which would also see a new community stadium for York City FC and York City Knights being built.

The design of the shops at the Monks Cross shopping complex, which will cover 244,000sq ft, emerged ahead of a City of York Council planning committee meeting next month where a decision is set to be made on Oakgate’s outline proposals for the retail and stadium project.

Since the planning application was lodged last September, it has become one of the most talked-about and controversial schemes in York’s history. Oakgate has said the retail development will create 1,000 permanent new jobs, as well as 275 construction roles, and inject an additional £12 million a year into York’s economy.

But its opponents, including city-centre traders and firms such as Barnitts and Bettys, claim it will deal a crushing blow to businesses in the heart of York and lead to shoppers deserting them for out-of-town alternatives.

Oakgate’s managing director, Richard France, said: “Since the planning application was submitted, we’ve continued to work on the detailed designs for the development.

“You can see from the images that the designs for the new retail units are well-advanced and, frankly, I think they are absolutely stunning and give a real quality feel that this development will bring to York.”

The 100,000sq ft “flexible format” John Lewis store would be the company’s first in York and, if planning permission is granted, would be scheduled to open by October 2013, creating at least 300 jobs. The arrival of the Marks & Spencer store, covering 120,000sq ft, would see the firm’s two current Monks Cross outlets and its Piccadilly branch shut, but its Pavement store would be given an extensive facelift. A third, smaller retail unit would also be built, with an occupier for this site yet to be confirmed.

Huntington Stadium would be demolished to make way for a new 6,000-seater stadium for City and the Knights, with City of York Athletics Club moving to the Sports Village at the University of York. Community facilities including a new Explore learning centre, hospital outpatient services and York St John University’s Institute of Community Sport and Wellbeing would also be built.

The owners of the Coppergate Centre have also said they will abandon their redevelopment plans for the Castle Piccadilly site and the neighbouring Castle Piccadilly land and sell these sites if the Oakgate proposals and separate plans to expand Monks Cross Shopping Park go ahead.