£50 million Attwood decision to boost retail shopping in Ards
Published on Thu, 13 Sep 2012
by ecomms@doeni.gov.uk.
Environment Minister Alex Attwood today announced his decision to grant planning permission for a £50 million extension to the Ards Shopping Centre in Newtownards.
It is anticipated that the major development will create 500 construction jobs and 1000 new jobs post construction.
The overall development will reinvigorate and breathe new life into one of the oldest shopping centres in Northern Ireland providing certainty for its future. The major retail development should result not only in significant job creation in the town but also provide a much needed boost for the local construction industry.
The two storey extension will provide an additional 22,263 square metres of gross floorspace (11,800sqm net retail floorspace) including the introduction of a new multi-storey car park within the centre. The project will also involve the partial demolition and considerable internal re-configuration of the existing centre.
This is another ‘Article 31’ (major planning application), one in an ongoing series of large planning announcements being made by the Minister.
Alex Attwood said: “This is welcome news for Newtownards. This will be an economic boost for Newtownards, creating many more jobs and many more shoppers to the town as well as providing much needed employment in the construction industry. Planning can be a real stimulus to the economy when proper environmental conditions have been met, a point I made very clearly at the Executive economic summit this morning.
“In taking this decision I am bringing to a conclusion a long and difficult process which has lasted nearly eight years. As with all the major retail applications currently under assessment by my Department, both in Ards and in other areas in the North, I intend to clear the backlog and make decisions swiftly, but only after giving careful consideration to the individual merits of each case.
“I believe that this proposal achieves the right planning balance, and will ultimately serve to strengthen Newtownards. It will create certainty for the centre and its employees, and will result in many new job opportunities for local people.”
Notes to editors:
1. This Article 31 major application was submitted 21st December 2004.
2. The development is by Belfast Office Properties Ltd.
3. The full planning permission is for a two-storey extension to the existing Ards Shopping Centre to allow for an additional 15,190 square metres gross comparison retail floorspace and including four restaurants and five kiosks with a multi-storey car park and associated service areas, access and landscaping.
4. The application was dealt with by the Department of Environment’s Strategic Planning Division.
5. For media enquiries please contact the DOE Press Office on 028 9025 6058. Out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
The overall development will reinvigorate and breathe new life into one of the oldest shopping centres in Northern Ireland providing certainty for its future. The major retail development should result not only in significant job creation in the town but also provide a much needed boost for the local construction industry.
The two storey extension will provide an additional 22,263 square metres of gross floorspace (11,800sqm net retail floorspace) including the introduction of a new multi-storey car park within the centre. The project will also involve the partial demolition and considerable internal re-configuration of the existing centre.
This is another ‘Article 31’ (major planning application), one in an ongoing series of large planning announcements being made by the Minister.
Alex Attwood said: “This is welcome news for Newtownards. This will be an economic boost for Newtownards, creating many more jobs and many more shoppers to the town as well as providing much needed employment in the construction industry. Planning can be a real stimulus to the economy when proper environmental conditions have been met, a point I made very clearly at the Executive economic summit this morning.
“In taking this decision I am bringing to a conclusion a long and difficult process which has lasted nearly eight years. As with all the major retail applications currently under assessment by my Department, both in Ards and in other areas in the North, I intend to clear the backlog and make decisions swiftly, but only after giving careful consideration to the individual merits of each case.
“I believe that this proposal achieves the right planning balance, and will ultimately serve to strengthen Newtownards. It will create certainty for the centre and its employees, and will result in many new job opportunities for local people.”
Notes to editors:
1. This Article 31 major application was submitted 21st December 2004.
2. The development is by Belfast Office Properties Ltd.
3. The full planning permission is for a two-storey extension to the existing Ards Shopping Centre to allow for an additional 15,190 square metres gross comparison retail floorspace and including four restaurants and five kiosks with a multi-storey car park and associated service areas, access and landscaping.
4. The application was dealt with by the Department of Environment’s Strategic Planning Division.
5. For media enquiries please contact the DOE Press Office on 028 9025 6058. Out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
