The chain sometimes called ‘the nation’s department store’ will be able to expand in North Swindon.

Marks & Spencer has been given the go-ahead to take over the vacant unit next door to its existing store in the Orbital Shopping Park just off Thamesdown Drive in Priory Vale.

The extension, which will see the store grow by 40 per cent to a total of nearly 60,000 square feet featuring a fresh market-style food hall and spruced up clothing, home, and beauty departments.

As part of the plan, the retail giant had to submit planning applications to allow changes to the rear of the building to create a new, enclosed area for the ‘plant’ running the building’s light and heating systems and changes to a trolley bay.

The entrance lobby of the additional unit would be demolished and replaced with cladding to match the existing store.

Another application for permission to put up new signs on the empty building was also put in.

In the application the company said: “The proposed development will create a new, amalgamated retail unit for Marks & Spencer which will allow an improved offering and better serving the established customer base visiting the District Centre.”

When M&S announced its plans, regional manager Neil Encoh said: "We’re really excited to announce our plans to invest in Swindon and create a transformed M&S store at Orbital Shopping Park."

The report giving the chain store the green light for the expansion and changes said: “The proposed changes to the unit would assimilate well with the nature of the surrounding shopping park and would not detract from the character and appearance of the wider area.

The new shopfront is compliant with the council’s coding guidance.

“The proposed external plant would be appropriately sited within a plant compound area to the rear of the unit. The area to the rear of the unit is used for staff parking and store deliveries with no access for members of the public. The equipment would be located in a discreet location within a plant compound area and would not be excessive in size or scale.”

There was dismay among Marks & Spencer fans in Swindon last year when the chain shut its town centre branch Regent Street in late October.

It had been trading from the site for 112 years.

There is another M&S food hall at Mannington Retail Park and a clothing outlet at the Designer Outlet in Rodbourne.