Regional Context

The RDS provides a number of Strategic Planning Guidelines and measures for retail development within Northern Ireland which are as follows:

• foster development which contributes to better community relations,
  recognises cultural diversity, and reduces socio-economic differentials
  within Northern Ireland (SPG-SRC 3) by:

− revitalising the role of town centres and other common
   locations well served by public transport as focal points for
   shopping, services, employment, cultural and leisure
   activities for the whole community (SRC 3.2); and

− promoting the development of major employment/enterprise
   areas in locations which are accessible to all sections of the
   community (SRC 3.2).

• promote a balanced spread of economic development opportunities
  across the Region focused on the BMA... and the urban hubs/clusters
  as the main centres for employment and services (SPG-ECON 1) by:

− supporting urban renaissance (ECON 1.3); and

− promoting town centres as the major locations for
   shopping/new retail developments and confirming there is no
   justifiable need for any new regional out of town shopping
   centres (ECON 1.3).

• support the network of service centres based on main towns, small
  towns and villages in Rural Northern Ireland (SPG-RNI 3) by:

− promoting the vitality and viability of rural town and villages
   centres (RNI 3.2).

The RDS sets out a spatial framework for the future growth of the BMA that
includes strategic guidance on the location of retail development.

• create a thriving Metropolitan Area centred on a revitalised city of
   Belfast (SPG-BMA 1) by:

− enhancing the role of the city of Belfast (BMA 1.1); and

− maintaining the role of Belfast City Centre as the primary
   retail location in the region (BMA 1.1)

• promote an urban renaissance throughout the Belfast Metropolitan Area
  (SPG BMA 2) by:

− maintaining and enhancing identifiable local centres of
   commerce and community services throughout the
   Metropolitan Area (BMA 2.1).

BMAP Retail Study

Retail consultants, Colliers CRE, were appointed to assess the need for additional
retail floorspace within BMA up to 2015. This included an assessment of the viability and vitality of city and town centres in the BMA, and an evaluation of the role
played by the retail, service and leisure sectors in sustaining the vitality and
viability of Belfast and Lisburn City Centres and the defined town centres.

Colliers CRE make a number of conclusions and recommendations relevant to the development of retail policy for the Plan Area. These are as follows:

• the number of hard commitments8 on their own is enough to soak up
  virtually all of the forecast growth in retail expenditure in the Plan Area
  in each retail goods sector (convenience, non-bulky and bulky
  comparison goods) throughout the Plan period;

• although there is no material need for additional retailing beyond
  commitments within the BMA as a whole certain centres show a
  quantitative need for additional retail floorspace which should be
  accommodated within the recommended city/town centre boundaries;

• only a limited amount of additional convenience goods floorspace should
  be approved within the BMA up to 2015. Any modest additional
  floorspace need should be met where possible through new city and
  town centre retail development;

• there would be a material oversupply of bulky comparison retail facilities
  throughout the BMA as a whole by 2015 taking account of commitments.
  On an individual level Belfast City Centre, Lisburn City Centre and Bangor
  Town Centre show positive needs for more retail provision of this type.
  Some district centres also show a need but this should be met in city
  and town centres and at Sprucefield;

• there would be an oversupply of non-bulky comparison goods floorspace
  throughout the BMA as a whole by 2015, taking account of
  commitments. On an individual level the main focus of additional capacity
  is Belfast City Centre whilst Lisburn City Centre and Bangor Town Centre
  also show positive quantitative need. Catchment areas of some district
  centres also show a need for additional floorspace but this should be met
  in nearby city and town centres;

• the two designated regional shopping centres (Belfast City Centre and
  Sprucefield) within the Plan Area are performing significantly below their
  required level in the retail hierarchy;

• further appropriate retail investment should be supported in Belfast City
  Centre and at Sprucefield, while also supporting the vitality and viability
  of existing town centres;

• there is a need for further retailing at Sprucefield in order to achieve its
  status as a regional shopping centre. Sprucefield should be permitted to
  expand to a size of at least 75,000 sq metres of net retail floorspace.
  However, additional retail provision should be restricted to bulky
  comparison goods and should be set aside for large trading format stores
  only;

• planning policy should encourage new retail investment in existing city
  and town centres;

• district centres have fulfilled an important retail role in the BMA,
  complementary to city and town centres; catchment areas of some
  District Centres show a need for additional floorspace. However having
  regard to the RDS and the conclusions of city and town centre health
  checks, additional retail floorspace should be accommodated, where
  possible, within nearby city and town centres where the case for retail
  investment is stronger, and, for bulky goods only, at Sprucefield; and

• there are no physical capacity constraints for the Plan Area retail
  property sector within the Plan period and therefore there is no need to
  extend boundaries of city and town centres solely for the reason of
  accommodating future retail development.

The recommendations made by Colliers CRE have assisted the Department in formulating the BMA Retail Strategy and Planning Policies for the Plan Area. Colliers CRE Retail Report is published as the Retailing Technical Supplement to the Plan.

⁸ hard commitments refers to retail schemes which have been granted planning permission

BMA Retail Strategy

The BMA Retail Strategy comprises the following elements: promotion of Belfast City Centre as the leading shopping centre in the Plan Area and Northern Ireland;   promotion of Lisburn City Centre and the Town Centres of Bangor, Carrickfergus, Ballyclare, Carryduff, Holywood as the main foci for additional retail capacity;   outside City and Town Centres the nature and scale of retail development to be controlled in order to protect the vitality and viability of the City and Town Centres and retail development to be focused on District Centres, commercial areas and commercial nodes on designated Arterial Routes, and local centres; and   expansion of Sprucefield Regional Shopping Centre for bulky comparison goods only.

The BMA Retail Strategy promotes city and town centres as prime locations for
new retail development. Much of the approximately 400,000 sq metres gross retail floorspace provided in the Plan Area over the past 15 years has been developed outside city and town centres. Colliers CRE have concluded that as a result many central areas are suffering from symptoms of retail and economic decline.

City and town centres have a key role as prime foci for retail, service,
administrative, leisure and cultural facilities, in common locations well served by
public transport and accessible to the whole community. Belfast City Centre will be promoted as the prime location for retail development. Lisburn City Centre and town centres in the BMA will also be main foci for further shopping floorspace.

The Plan Proposals support the provision within city and town centres of
convenience retailing, non-bulky comparison shopping and of showroom-type developments for bulky comparison goods.

Outside city and town centres the scale, nature and location of new retail development will be controlled in order to protect the vitality and viability of
centres. Proposals for convenience retailing above 500 square metres gross
floorspace will be directed to designated district centres. Convenience and
comparison shopping, of a scale appropriate to meet local needs will be focused on designated shopping/commercial areas on Belfast’s Arterial Routes, designated commercial nodes on Arterial Routes in Belfast and the designated Local Centres of Dundonald, Dunmurry and Glengormley.

At Sprucefield Regional Shopping Centre only bulky comparison retailing will be acceptable to enable it to develop its role as a regional shopping centre.

Retail Policies and Proposals

Policy R 1 Retailing in City and Town Centres

Planning permission will be granted for retail development proposals in city and town centres where a Primary Retail Core is not designed. Within designated Primary Retail Cores, planning permission will only be granted for non-retail uses at ground floor where all the following criteria are met: it is not located within a designated Primary Retail Frontage; there is no significant loss of retail floorspace at ground floor level; it does not create a cluster of non-retail uses; and it would not lead to a predominance of non-retail uses. Outside designated primary retail cores and within city and town centres retail development will only be granted planning permission where it can be demonstrated that there is no suitable site for the proposed development within the Primary Retail Core.

The Plan Proposals seek to support the vitality and viability of city and town centres by ensuring that they are the main focus for all retail developments, including convenience, non-bulky comparison and bulky comparison retailing.

Boundaries are designated for the City Centres of Belfast and Lisburn and the Town Centres of Bangor, Carrickfergus, Ballyclare, Carryduff and Holywood as identified in the District Proposals.

Primary retail cores which contain the traditional concentration of retailing and other city/town centre functions are designated in Belfast and Lisburn City Centres and in the Town Centres of Bangor and Holywood as identified in the relevant District Proposals. The purpose in identifying a primary retail core is to control the scale and nature of new development and to provide conformity with the retail uses. This is to ensure the continuance of a compact, lively and attractive shopping environment, offering both choice and convenience, and to control the intrusion of non-retail uses in prime shopping areas. Proposals for retail development in city and town centres
will be therefore directed towards the primary retail core in the first instance.

Within the designated city and town centres, opportunity sites are designated
some of which are suitable for retail development. The opportunity sites are
identified on the relevant city and town centre maps and the development criteria
and acceptable uses for each site are set out in the relevant District Proposals.

The environment for bulky comparison goods retailing has undergone considerable change in recent years. Increasingly there is no longer a need to have large retail warehouses with associated generous parking facilities in edge of centre or out of centre locations. Such facilities when located within city and town centres tend to undermine the urban fabric of cities and towns due to their scale and built form and the requirement for extensive surface car parking.

However in recent years showroom type developments have emerged within city
and town centres supported by off site warehousing in more appropriate locations such as industrial parks. Showroom type developments for bulky comparison goods such as furniture stores and DIY/hardware stores can be accommodated within city and town centres without detriment to the urban fabric. Their spatial requirements
are such that they can often be accommodated within existing buildings thereby retaining the street pattern.

Retail Services and leisure uses will be expected to locate within the designated
city and town centre boundaries.

Policy R 2 Primary Retail Frontages

Planning permission will not be granted for non-retail uses at ground level within the Primary Retail Frontages designated in Belfast and Lisburn City Centres and in Bangor Town Centre.  Planning Permission will be granted for development proposals to convert non-retail uses to retail uses in these frontages.

Primary retail frontages are designated within the Primary Retail Cores of Belfast
and Lisburn City Centres and Bangor Town Centre and comprise those parts of city and town centres which should be retained in retail use. Details of the designations are contained on the relevant city and town centre maps in the District Proposals. Proposals for non-retail uses at ground floor level within the primary retail frontages will be resisted in order to retain the focus of retail uses and ensure the
maintenance of a compact shopping environment. Non retail uses will be permitted
in upper floors.

Bars, cafes and restaurants complement the primary shopping function of city and town centres by contributing to the range and choice of facilities available to residents and visitors. They also contribute to the evening economy, 24 hour city living and support tourism. Such uses will be expected to locate in secondary
shopping frontages. Exceptionally they may be acceptable in primary retail
frontages where it can be demonstrated they form part of a mixed use retail led development which contributes to the vitality and viability of city or town centres.

Planning permission may be granted for proposals which only involve refurbishment
or rehabilitation of an existing non-retail use.

Policy R 3 Belfast Regional Shopping Centre

Planning permission will not be granted for proposals for retail development where it would be likely to result in an adverse impace on the distinctive role of Belfast City Centre as the leading regional shopping centre.

Colliers CRE have advised that Belfast City Centre is performing significantly below
its required level in the retail hierarchy.

The Plan Proposals seek to maintain and strengthen the distinctive position of
Belfast City Centre to enable it to perform its role as the primary shopping centre in the Region and seek to promote development at key locations and on suitable sites
in order to achieve a sustainable, vital and vibrant City Centre. New retail development can act as a catalyst for physical social and economic regeneration.

The assessment of retail development will take into consideration the need to
promote the regeneration of the City Centre including the need to enhance in particular in quantitative and qualitative terms the primary retail core as a shopping destination.

Policy R 4 Sprucefield Regional Shopping Centre

Within the designated Sprucefield Regional Shopping Centre planning permission will only be granted for retail development, which meets all of the following criteria: proposals shall not adversely impact on the vitality and viability of existing City and Town Centres;   the type of goods to be sold is restricted to bulky comparison goods;   the floorspace of any individual unit is a minimum of 6,000 sq m net floorspace; and   the development meets the Key Site Requirements as set out in Lisburn District Proposals. No sub-division of bulky goods floorspace creating a separate unit of less than 6,000 sq m gross floorspace will be permitted. Exceptions may be made where there is a rationalisation of existing or approved floorspace providing proposals do not involve any further sub-division.

The Retail Study concludes that the Sprucefield Regional Shopping Centre is performing significantly below its required level in the retail hierarchy and
recommends further development in order to fulfil its role and potential as the only out-of-town Regional Shopping Centre in Northern Ireland.

The nature and scale of retail development to be permitted will be restricted to
bulky comparison goods trading from large format stores. Bulky comparison goods
only will be permitted so as not to undermine the function of existing city and town centres, particularly Belfast and Lisburn City Centres, as well as to reinforce Sprucefield’s role as the sole out of town Regional shopping centre in Northern
Ireland. Development proposals shall be a minimum of 6,000 sq m net floorspace in order to facilitate large format trading stores and shall minimise visual impact on the local environment. No subdivision of stores will be permitted to enable Sprucefield to perform as Northern Ireland’s only out-of-town Regional Shopping Centre.

A retail impact assessment will be required to demonstrate that retail development proposals do not adversely impact on the vitality and viability of existing city and town centres.

Policy R 5 District Centres

Proposals for comparison retailing within designated District Centres will not be permitted. Planning permission will only be granted to proposals for convenience retaiing of 500 sq m gross floorspace and above where all of the following criteria are met: a need within the catchment area of the District Centre has been identified;   suitable and appropriate City and Town Centre sites are unlikely to be available within a reasonable time period;   the proposal, including the cumulative impact, does not have an adverse impact on the vitality and viability of City and Town Centres or undermine their convenience function; and Coalescence of individual retail units into a single unit exceeding 500 sq m gross floorspace will only be permitted where all of the above criteria are met. Planning permission will be granted for small scale retail services and catering outlets.

District centres fulfil an important retail role in providing consumers with convenience and choice in locations outside city and town centres.

Colliers CRE concluded that district centres can co-exist with city and town centres and fulfil a role which is complementary to the role of city and town centres.
However, the Consultants indicate that although none of the district centres individually is able to compete with Belfast City Centre, collectively they do exert a major influence. At present, Belfast City Centre and other town centres are under performing whilst some of the district centres are over trading.

The following district centres are designated in the District Proposals:

• Abbeycentre
• Bloomfield
• Connswater
• Dairyfarm
• Forestside
• Hillview
• Kennedy Centre
• Northcott Centre
• Park Centre
• Springhill
• Westwood Centre
• Yorkgate

Although the consultants forecast a quantitative need for additional retail
floorspace at a number of district centres, they concluded that there were planning reasons for redirecting any identified need to nearby city and town centres where
the case for retail investment is stronger.

Boundaries are defined for the designated district centres, and these are set out in the relevant District Proposals.

Policy R 6 Arterial Routes and Local Centres (Dundonald, Dunmurry, Glengormley)

Within designated commercial nodes and shopping/commercial areas on Arterial Routes and in the designated Local Centres of Dundonald, Dunmurry and Glengormley planning permission will be granted for retail development proposals to serve local needs provided that they do not exceed: 500 sq m gross floorspace for convenience shopping; and 100 sq m gross floorspace for comparison shopping. Coalescence of individual retail units into single units exceeding 500 sq m gross floorspace for convenience shopping and 100 sq m gross floorspace for comparison shopping will not be granted planning permission. Planning permission will be granted for small scale retail services and catering outlets.

The Plan Proposals seek to maintain and enhance identifiable local centres of commerce and community services throughout the Plan Area. Within Belfast, the
RDS promotes an upgrade of the Arterial Routes with an integrated approach which sustains and enhances the existing ‘urban villages’ along the routes.

Local shopping areas provide accessible convenience and non-bulky comparison retailing, so that people can shop close to where they live. Such facilities are also readily accessible by public transport being on main bus routes.

New retail development within local areas helps to meet local needs and sustain communities. It also acts as a catalyst for regeneration of the area both physically and economically, whilst facilitating and supporting economic growth.

Within the designated areas, retail development proposals will be limited in scale, in order to ensure that the function, scale and character of local shopping areas is maintained. This will enable retailers such as newsagents and chemists which have traditionally played an important role in local neighbourhood shopping areas to continue to be accommodated, while ensuring that the role of city and town centres is not prejudiced by larger scale developments.

Details of the designated shopping/commercial areas and designated commercial
nodes on Arterial Routes, and the designated local centres (Dundonald, Dunmurry, Glengormley) are set out in the District Proposals.

Policy R 7 Local Shops

Planning permission will only be granted for local shops where proposals are for less than 200 sq m gross floorspace.

Local shops play an important role in serving the local population. Proposals for local shops are also subject to prevailing regional planning policy.