This is when new £35 million retail park in Sheffield will fully open

St James’ Retail Park, on the former Norton College site, just off the Bochum Parkway, Meadowhead will fully open over the weekend of July 7 and 8.

Paul Morris, development director at St James Secruities, said contractors were nearing completion of the build before handing units to tenants.

He said: “The actual completion of the building work is probably going to be the second week in April but then all the tenants will go in and fit it out.

“In terms of us our role as a developer we have sold the retail park to NFU Mutual and they have set a grand opening date for July 7 and 8.”

The full list of retailers signed up for the new centre so far include Next, M&S Foodhall, Aldi, TK Maxx, Specsavers, HomeSense, Wilko, Mountain Warehouse, ShoeZone, Card Factory, Greggs and Costa.

St James Securities said the scheme will create 250 full-time jobs, in addition to the 124 jobs created during construction.

Mr Morris said: “We are, without tempting problems, very happy with how the build has gone.

“The team and the contractors have done a great job. The weather we had last week certainly didn’t help but it’s gone very well.

“The tenants all seem very happy with the build too, which is very important to us as a developer.”

Mr Morris said some stores may open before the July 7 date - depending on when they have their internal fits completed.

The developer believe the retail park will complement other regeneration schemes, such as the £16 million revamp of the nearby Graves Tennis and Leisure Centre and the new National Centre for Sport and Exercise.

The Star reported last month that shoppers will have a choice of three coffee shops to pause for a brew at the development.

Retail giant Next has been granted planning permission to build a coffee shop in its store on the site, along with Costa and Greggs.

Norton College, the larest campus owned by Sheffield College, closed in 2015 and courses moved into a new £8.8 million extension at the college’s Hillsborough site.

Supermarket chain Aldi is still recruiting for store assistants at its proposed store on the site.

Pay ranges from between £8.85 and £10.41 an hour.

For more information on the vacancies or to apply, visit www.aldirecruitment.co.uk/apply and search for St James’ Retail Park, Sheffield.