Intu Properties began construction yesterday on the £20m leisure extension to its retail development in Stoke-on-Trent.

The site will be anchored by a 1,100-seat, nine-screen Cineworld cinema and five restaurants with Chiquito, Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Frankie & Benny’s having already signed up.

The development is expected to take 18 months.

Asset management director at intu, Martin Breedon, said: “intu Potteries is the main retail and leisure destination for the six towns of Stoke-on-Trent which attracts an annual footfall of 12 million from its catchment of 1.1 million people. It’s currently underserved in terms of catering and we are confident the leisure extension will be a great success.”

The company, which owns intu Lakeside Thurrock and intu Trafford Centre among its portfolio of retail centres, has been through a tough trading period. Its year end results showed a slight decline in occupancy, rents and footfall on a year-on-year basis.

However, the company says it is looking forward and has a £1.2bn development pipeline over the next 10 years.