The developer today revealed plans to start building work after saying pre-lets on the 300,000 sq ft project had topped 50% of the floor space.

Both M&S (60,000 sq ft) and Next (19,500 sq ft) will anchor the £64m scheme in Fareham on the south coast.

The shopping centre, which is set to open in spring 2013, will comprise over 50 units totalling 242,000 sq ft of retail space, 58,000 sq ft of restaurants, cafés and other facilities and 1,136 free car park spaces.

Other pre-lets include H&M (18,200 sq ft), Boots (12,300 sq ft), JD Sports (6,800 sq ft), Bank (6,300 sq ft), Sports Direct (10,700 sq ft), Frankie & Benny’s (4,000 sq ft) and Starbucks (2,500 sq ft).

Designed by architect Corstophine and Wright, Whiteley Shopping Centre will serve a catchment of 1.2m people, due to grow further when 3,000 new homes are built at North Whiteley.

The development will transform the existing outlet scheme into a significant shopping centre destination, featuring double height glazing and oak panels centred around a new town square.

Charles Maudsley, head of retail for British Land, said: “British Land will concentrate on developing mid-sized, urban retail schemes like Whiteley and leveraging our ability, experience and financial strength to create incremental value.

“We have the right strategy to develop successfully and exploit future demand for the right space.”

Enabling works are currently nearing completion with main construction scheduled to begin on site in early 2012.