INTERIORS company Habitat is coming back to Brighton as part of a major city centre shopping development.

The new shop, set to be the chain’s third largest in the UK, will launch in October at the old Hanningtons department store in North Street.

It will be the first new major store the company has opened in ten years.

The new shop will occupy the ground floor and basement and will include an “installation and events space”.

The branch, which will provide about ten new jobs, will stock more than 3,000 products including furniture, lighting and textiles.

Asked why the firm chose Brighton for a new store, managing director Clare Asken said: “We think Brighton’s a really cool place.

“We know we have lots of customers who live in Brighton. We were very sad to leave it back in 2011 and we have been trying to find a way to get back into the city ever since. We know there are a lot of creative people who are interested in design. It’s a perfect fit really.”

Asked why Habitat was opening a major new high street store when many traditional retailers were closing branches and focusing on online sales, Ms Asken said that although more than half the company’s trade was internet-based, customers still liked to “touch and feel” the products.

“We don’t believe physical shopping is dead,” she said.

“Brighton is a really vibrant high street, with lots of reasons for customers to want to shop, which is why we chose the centre of town rather than an out-of town location.”

Habitat opened one of its first stores in Brighton in 1969 and Ms Asken said: “We’re thrilled to be returning to a city that has a lot of historical love for our brand.

“Returning to Brighton’s high street has always been a passion project for me so we’re delighted it’s the first new high street store that we’re opening and in such an important new development.”

Work began on the 1.3 acre site, which includes the former Hanningtons department store or “Harrods of Brighton”, in February 2017.

The masterplan includes a new Lane and a new entrance to The Lanes from North Street, as well as flats and offices.

The existing shops will be redesigned as new spaces for retailers, restaurants and cafes. Work is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

l Habitat will be working with three artists from Brighton – Sophie Abbott, Lauri Hopkins and Becky Blair –to create a limited collection of rugs to go on sale in the new store when it opens in October.

The shortlisted artists were asked to come up with designs that were “inspired by Brighton”.