John Lewis has agreed to anchor The Leeds Partnership’s Eastgate Quarters scheme in Leeds city centre.

The department store giant is to take a 275,000 sq ft (25,545 sq m) store at the centre, which will also be anchored by Marks & Spencer.

Construction work is due to begin next year and be completed in 2012. The Leeds Partnership is a joint venture between Hammerson and Leeds developer Town Centre Securities.

The deal is part of John Lewis’s ongoing plans to increase the number of stores in its department store portfolio rapidly and to be represented in all the cities where it has no stores.