Work has begun by York-based Shepherd Construction on a £4.5 million project to build 20 new shops at the Yorkshire Outlet Village just outside Doncaster.

The extension to the retail complex by about 5,000 sq metres is expected to be finished next autumn when the entire complex will be rebranded Lakeside Village.

The design and build contract is with REALM Ltd, the factory outlet developers and operators and follows on from Shepherd's £12 million REALM project to redevelop the Royal Quays Outlet Centre in North Shields, completed in Autumn 2001.

The 20 new shops at the Yorkshire Outlet Village, off junction 3 on the M18, will mirror the style of the original project and up to ten of the existing 45 stores will be reconfigured.

Shepherd Construction, part of the more than £500 million turnover Shepherd Building Group, has also built two other designer shopping outlets for McArthur Glen, including the £27 million multi-phase complex on the former Naburn Hospital site in York and the £46.5 million outlet store in Livingstone, Scotland.

Updated: 09:44 Tuesday, January 28, 2003