This astonishing aerial photo shows just how vast the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Village will be.

Dubbed the 'Bicester Village of the Midlands', you can really start to picture what the 30-acre site in Cannock will be like from this picture.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held on September 28 to mark the start of the construction work at the new £160 million shopping and leisure destination.

Site preparation and foundation works began in the summer , as can be seen from this bird's eye view photograph.

Being such a huge site, it will be a long time before shoppers are able to see anything resembling stores.

In fact, the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Village is not due to open until 2020.

1,000 jobs

Gary Bond, managing director of development at McArthurGlen explained what will happen between now and then.

"Over the next two years, this 30-acre site will be transformed into a landmark retail destination, introducing 80 sought-after brands to the West Midlands and creating 1,000 retail jobs for the local community," he said.

"This development would not have been possible without the clear leadership and vision of Cannock Chase Council who believed in this project from the very start, and supported the development at every level."

More than 40 guests joined McArthurGlen and Cannock Chase Council for the ceremony, including McArthurGlen’s partners Aviva Investors, The Richardson Family and U+I, as well as MP Amanda Milling and contractor Bowmer & Kirkland.

'Exciting time'

Councillor George Adamson, leader of Cannock Chase Council, added: "This is an exciting time for the district, and we are immensely proud that this momentous development is now officially underway.

"We will continue to work closely with McArthurGlen during construction and look forward to the opening of a unique new retail space for all to enjoy."

Following speeches and photographs, the ceremony concluded at Langan’s Tea rooms, a social enterprise that is part of the O’Connor Gateway Charitable Trust, which provides education, training and employment for individuals who have undergone rehabilitation.

The Cannock site will be the McArthurGlen’s 26 designer outlet, and its seventh in the UK.

As well as designer shops, there will be restaurants, a visitor centre, a heritage trail and a nature reserve.

And there have been talks of possibly a cinema too.

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