A shopping centre boss says building work on a multi-million pound expansion project will start in November.

Peter Corr has been the Ashford Designer Outlet manager since December last year and will oversee the project, which includes up to 50 more shops or restaurants and is said will create 500 more jobs.

He said the centre could even hold a Guinness World Record for the largest “living wall” containing plants and flowers when the centre is complete.

But he admitted that it would only be temporary, as a project in Dubai will build one five times larger and is set to open several months later.

Mr Corr said: “We already have the largest tented shopping structure in Europe and we want to get hold of the world record for the living wall, even if that’s only for a few months.

“The expansion will include 50 new units and an extra car park on land behind ASDA. It will give the centre a plaza type feel.

“We have to remove the current food court area and the tented structure first and we hope to start construction in late November this year.”

The food court and play areas will need to be removed, along with car parking spaces, with new play areas and car parking spaces to be created.

But Mr Corr admitted that when the centre was originally built, expansion hadn’t been considered, so the bridge at the top end is 20cm too small to be able to bring in the necessary cranes and building equipment.

Mr Corr said the centre already saw revenues grow from around £70m each year to around £120m in turnover, and believes the figure will continue to increase.

McArthur Glen, which runs the outlet, has estimated that around 12% of visitors are tourists from further afield, but it is the company’s hope to double this to 25%.

Work is already under way to advertise the centre in newspapers and at London stations to encourage more visitors.

Concerns have been raised about the impact on public transport, traffic and car parking when the expansion gets under way.

Stagecoach South East commercial director Matthew Arnold said 25 buses an hour provide services that either go past the outlet or stop at the outlet and ASDA.

He asked: “The big threat to us is that it is almost impossible to get our buses in and out and maintain a timetable to the town. Is there going to be an enhancement of provision?”

Peter Corr said issues on busy days was a big challenge, but said building work on a new southern car park will start in January.

He said: “I arrived in time for Christmas and Boxing Day last year, so I’ve seen how difficult and how frustrating it can be for members of the public and our staff.

“By Easter next year, we will see that ease up with the additional spaces in the extra car park.”

He said a road layout will be reviewed, with two lanes of traffic instead of one and that McArthur Glen was in talks with Stagecoach about the possibility of a new bus stop inside the outlet centre.