Building has started on a retail park which will house a Smyths Toys, Aldi supermarket and M&S store.
Acorn Retail Park is expected to open during summer 2016 on London Road in Crawley Borough.
The council gave the go ahead for the development back in March but building has only just begun.
Operations director Steve Cresswell said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver this exciting new retail park, which will give the Crawley residents and people who work in the Manor Royal Business District a wider choice of shopping facilities when it opens to the public next summer. We’re also pleased to be able to offer vital training opportunities during the build, and will be employing an apprentice on the scheme.”
Chris Boulter, Cantium Developments chief executive, added: “Acorn Retail Park will unquestionably extend the range of available retail choice for Crawley residents, while also bringing much needed and easily accessible convenience food shopping for the benefit of the Manor Royal workforce.”