planning application - Neighbourhood Retailer

Lidl submits bid for new supermarket at Sprucefield

Linda Stewart — Fri, 07 Oct 2022 13:15:03 +0000

Grocery retailer Lidl has submitted plans to develop a new store on a six-acre site at Sprucefield Park, next to Sainsbury’s.

Lidl is proposing a 27,000 sq ft store next to the existing car park at the retail park.

The retailer’s plans where outlined in a proposal of application notice (PAN), lodged with Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council.

A PAN is a requirement for major developments, involving consultation with the public.

More details will be presented during an event at the at Premier Inn hotel in Lisburn on November 15 (6.30pm-9pm).

Lidl currently has 41 stores across Northern Ireland and has indicated it is aiming to open 66 stores. That will involve the development of stores in smaller population catchments.

Lidl is also continuing with a long-term store modernisation programme, with the 19th replacement store due to reopen in Omagh on October 13.

Sprucefield Park was acquired by NewRiver for £40 million in late 2019.

The London-listed real estate investment trust sold 90 per cent of its interest in the asset in September 2020 to another fund, Bravo Strategies III, which is owned by Pimco.

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Tesco loses legal challenge over Asda’s green light for Newtownabbey superstore

Linda Stewart — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 11:01:42 +0000

Tesco has lost a legal challenge to rival Asda being granted planning permission to build a new superstore in Newtownabbey.

High Court proceedings were brought after approval was given for the supermarket and petrol station at the former Nortel site at Monkstown Industrial Estate on the Doagh Road, Newtownabbey.

The £17.5m development is expected to generate up to 250 full-time and part-time jobs.

A judge dismissed a judicial review case centred on alleged failures and flaws in how the local authority applied relevant planning policy.

Asda was granted permission to demolish the existing building on the site and replace it with a food store, eight-bay filling station, car parking and a click-and-collect facility.

During the hearing it was claimed that the council incorrectly dealt with the issue of site selection under the Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland.

The SPSS includes an objective to adopt a “town centres-first approach” for the location of future retailing, involving the application of a “sequential” assessment of possible other locations in the decision-making process.

According to Tesco’s case, the authority wrongly concluded that a potential alternative site at Abbey Trading Centre (ATC) on the Longwood Road was unavailable, therefore failing to investigate and consider the questions of suitability and viability.

But Mr Justice Scoffield held that it was neither irrational nor unfair for the council to deal with the case on the basis of information before it.

“The Tesco assertion at the Planning Committee meeting that the site was available was essentially a bald assertion made without evidence,” he said.

“In the present case, when the impugned decision was made, the ATC site was plainly unavailable in my view.”

The judge confirmed: “None of the applicant’s grounds of judicial review are made out and I dismiss the application for judicial review.”

Mr Justice Scoffield also described late interventions made by Tesco when the planning request was due to be considered as “an unsettling element”.

He added: “It is difficult to discern whether the timing of these objection letters was specifically designed as a spoiling tactic, although the court can quite see why the notice party (Asda) may harbour significant suspicions in that respect.”

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Foodservice giant Sysco Ireland reveals £23m expansion plans

Linda Stewart — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 09:34:52 +0000

Foodservice provider Sysco Ireland has unveiled plans to double the size of its Northern Ireland operation within five years as part of an ambitious growth strategy.

The company is investing £23million in the proposed development of a state of the art distribution facility at Nutt’s Corner, County Antrim.

Once completed, the new facility is expected to create 90 new jobs, taking Sysco’s workforce in Northern Ireland to 230.

Mark Lee, CEO of Sysco Ireland, said the new plans have been ‘driven by strong customer demand in Northern Ireland’.

“The project forms part of Sysco’s wider growth strategy, which with continued investment in our offering, innovation and people, has helped to establish the business as the leading foodservice provider on the island of Ireland,” he said.

“The investment in the new facility, which is subject to planning approval, has been driven by strong customer demand in Northern Ireland.

“We are excited by the opportunities that our proposed new site will deliver for our ambition to grow in Northern Ireland, supporting investment and innovation in the sector and local job creation.

“Sustainability is also a key consideration in the development plans, with the design incorporating solar panels on the roof, rainwater harvesting and advanced heat pump technology.

“We are committed to providing electric vehicle chargers for both staff and fleet vehicles.”

The proposals are currently being advanced by Heron Brothers, an award-winning construction and property development company which operates throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

Paul Mulholland, property director at Heron Bros, explained how the project was a great example of traditional values with an advanced, innovative approach to construction.

“We are delighted to bring forward these exciting proposals at Nutt’s Corner, which promises to bring great benefits to the local area,” he said.

“Heron Bros prides itself on how we have been able to combine our traditional values with an advanced, innovative approach to construction. This project is a great example of this, combining innovative technologies designed to enhance sustainability, within a state-of-the-art storage and distribution centre.”

Prior to the submission of a planning application to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, a pre-application community consultation will take place, with a public exhibition on Tuesday, August 9 from 3-8pm at Maldon Hotel, Belfast International Airport.

A consultation website will also launch today (Tuesday, August 2) at www.heronbrosconsultation.co.uk.

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Iceland planning new west Belfast store at former trampoline park

Linda Stewart — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 09:52:17 +0000

Iceland is proposing to open a new supermarket in west Belfast, according to an application set to be considered by the city council’s planning committee.

The retailer has been named as the new tenant for a 16,000 sq ft double unit at the Westwood Shopping Centre on Kennedy Way.

The centre’s owners John Corp have sought planning permission to convert the unit from an indoor trampoline park to a retail store, following the closure of Airtastic’s outlet last year.

The change of use application has been recommended for approval by city planners, with the council’s planning committee due to consider it on Monday.

The application says 35-40 jobs will be created.

Iceland already has a strong presence in Belfast with 10 of its 34 Northern Ireland stores spread across the city.

The retail chain has previously said it would like to open up to 12 Food Warehouse units here. It has opened one store at Newtownabbey.

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AMP lodges plans for drinks can factory in Newtownabbey

Linda Stewart — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 08:33:09 +0000

A new drinks can factory on the outskirts of north Belfast will employ 160 people, the company behind it has said.

AMP, part of the Ardagh Group, lodged a planning application for the development, saying it intends to have the facility, at Global Point in Newtownabbey, operating next year.

Ardagh is based In Luxembourg but the company has Irish roots.

The north Belfast initiative is part of a multi-billion dollar investment by the company, involving the construction of new, recyclable metal packaging capacity in Europe, North America and Brazil.

It is expected that the approximately 430,500 sq ft manufacturing facility will create approximately 160 direct jobs (FTE) on site, alongside a further 30 jobs indirectly through associated suppliers and associated businesses.

The submission of the planning application to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council follows a period of pre-application community consultation, and engagement with the council and Invest NI.

Oliver Graham, chief executive of AMP, said: “We are a high tech, circular economy business. Our products are helping beverage companies improve their own sustainability using our infinitely recyclable packaging.

“Our proposals will help strengthen our relationships with existing customers and consumers across the island of Ireland and Great Britain. We are pleased to have taken a further step forward to delivering this new plant in Northern Ireland as part of our industry leading multi-year growth strategy to supplement our existing production base throughout Europe.”

David Spratt, chief executive of AMP Europe, added: “Our investment will deliver almost 200 new jobs to Northern Ireland and will bring significant long-term skilled employment opportunities to the area.

“We are grateful for the constructive and positive pre-application consultation with local neighbours and elected representatives. AMP look forward to working closely and collaboratively with them in support of employment and education programmes later this year, once planning permission has been granted and construction can begin.”

AMP, which is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, is 75 per cent owned by Ardagh Group the international packaging group which traces its origins back to glass manufacturing in Dublin in the 1930s.

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