The proposal represents an initial investment of over £50m in the heart of Yorkshire and is expected to provide permanent employment for more than a thousand people.
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Work on the new South Bank site is due to begin in 2016 with a current completion date of 2019.
Today, Burberry announced that its three separate collections-Prorsum (runway) London (iconic trenches and accessories), and Brit (casual clothing)-will now all be fused into one label simply called Burberry by the end of 2016.
The proposed site will allow Burberry to continue to produce its most iconic product, the heritage trench coat, in Yorkshire where the brand has been manufacturing for more than half a century.
“I am delighted to announce that the next chapter of Burberry’s manufacturing story will be right here in Yorkshire”.
The factory will employ more than 1,000 workers, with existing staff from the British luxury brand’s Cross Hills and Castleford sites in Yorkshire moving across and more than 200 new jobs created.
“I’m a great believer in British manufacturing” he added.
The GMB union said it welcomes the company’s commitment to Yorkshire but said it is concerned about the effects of the move on the town of Castleford, where Burberry is the biggest single employer.
Christopher Bailey, chief executive, said the new manufacturing and weaving site in South Bank, Leeds, is needed “to keep up with the demand we have created” of the brand’s trademark trench coats.
Burberry said it plans to hand the Castleford site back to the community so it can be used for regeneration.
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Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said it was “wonderful news for Leeds”.
