The shopping centre landlord is ploughing £600m into the development of new retail expansion.

The 740,000 sq ft of new retail space will add scores of new retailers and restaurants, as well as leisure and events spaces to its existing stable of 360 luxury, premium and high street retailers.

Anchored by a 230,000 sq ft John Lewis store, the expansion is poised to launch in March 2018.

As the countdown to opening day continues, Retail Week spoke to Westfield director of development Duncan Bower, to find out how it is creating the “next generation” of shopping centres and the impact it will have on the existing development.

“We are currently trading at about 27 to 28 million in terms of footfall and we expect a significant rise to go to something like 36 to 39 million and anything up to £1.4bn in terms of turnover, from £1bn at the moment,” Bower says.

“That’s largely driven by the offer that we are putting out there. John Lewis was the most requested retailer, almost ever since we opened, so we are delighted to have John Lewis here.”

Bower says Westfield is now treating events spaces in the same way as “anchor” tenants, adding: “We are building, not just on the retail mix of new shops and leisure and restaurants around public open space, but we are also pretty big on experience that we will have external spaces for and also a large internal space for.”