Swedish furniture retailer IKEA has announced the opening of its new IKEA Plan & Order Point in Preston, Lancashire.

The Plan & Order Point is a smaller store dedicated to kitchen and bedroom planning, which marks the third opening of this format in the North West of England, following its introduction in Aintree last December and Stockport in March.

This comes as part of the retailer’s ongoing transformation to become more accessible for customers shopping with IKEA across the region.

The Plan & Order Point is situated in Deepdale Retail Park with a showroom that spans over 1,300sqft, with it also housing a Click and Collect space.

Despite being smaller than a standard IKEA store, it features kitchen and wardrobe solutions. IKEA will showcase all of its kitchen fronts, worktops and a variety of appliances from the wider range. There’s also a space dedicated to the PAX wardrobe system, with doors, interior organisers, and knobs and handles.

Michael Parker, Area Manager, IKEA UK, said: “Today, we start our journey to be much closer to the people in Lancashire. At the new IKEA Preston Plan & Order Point, customers can get kitchen inspiration and expert advice as well as the possibility to click and collect anything from the full IKEA range.

“In a year when IKEA celebrates its 80th birthday, the North West is extra special to us, being home to our first UK store in Warrington. With Plan & Order points in Aintree, Stockport and now Preston, our existing full size stores in nearby Ashton-under-Lyne and Warrington, collection points, home planning and remote and digital services, we are enabling an IKEA where customers can shop in the most convenient way for them.”

Sir Mark Hendrick, MP for Preston, said: “I am thrilled that IKEA’s new Plan & Order Point has opened here today in Preston. This represents the latest investment in our great community which I am confident will continue to create more opportunity. It is great to see IKEA providing good quality jobs across the North West of England.”

The Plan & Order Point in Preston follows the opening of a Plan & Order Point in Aintree, Liverpool, in December, and Stockport, Greater Manchester, the first of their kind in the UK.