'Major opportunity': Matalan plans £1.9m investment with new 45,000 sq ft Northern Ireland store

Plans have been submitted for a new 45,000 sq ft Matalan store at Banbridge’s Bridgewater Retail Park, representing a potential £1.9 million investment in the town.

Described as a ‘major application’, the plans seek full permission to amalgamate two existing units at the retail park and convert them into a two-level Matalan store.

If approved, the retailer says the development would create 47 jobs, comprising a mix of full-time and part-time positions, while a further 35 construction jobs would be supported through the installation of a mezzanine floor.

The proposed store would be located between The Food Warehouse and the site of B&M Bargains’ previously approved new store and garden centre.

Submitted by Kyle Porter on behalf of Gortalowry Developments Ltd, the application states: “Full application to merge Units 8 and 9 Bridgewater Retail Park (approved and constructed under application LA08/2024/0354/F) to provide a Matalan retail store including change of use to allow unrestricted sale and display of retail goods, provision of mezzanine floor, elevation changes with associated car parking and site works as necessary including reduction in Game of Throne park and ride.”

In its supporting planning statement, the retailer says Banbridge represents a strategic opportunity to establish its first store along the A1 corridor between Lisburn and the border at Newry. It adds that the location would allow it to target shoppers travelling along the corridor, including customers from across the border.

The planning statement describes the Banbridge proposal as a ‘major opportunity’ for the town to secure one of the UK’s largest value fashion retailers.

It explained: “Matalan is a leading UK and international fashion and homeware retailer that aims to make style and quality affordable every day. Matalan has a large store network of over 250 UK and international stores and integrated e-commerce platform.

“This is a major opportunity for Banbridge to secure one of the UK’s largest value fashion retailers.

“Matalan’s Northern Ireland store portfolio is mainly located in retail parks, with five of its seven shops in such locations. These are Boucher Road, Belfast, Castlebawn Retail Park, Newtownards, Longwood Retail Park, Newtownabbey, Central Way, Craigavon and Lisnagelvin Retail Park, Derry.

“A more recent application in Springhill Shopping Centre, Bangor for Matalan was approved in June 2026. This will be the sixth out of town shop of Matalan’s in Northern Ireland. The only town centre store of Matalan’s is in Castlecourt Shopping Centre, Belfast.

"As part of Matalan’s growth, they are seeking a new store located on the A1 corridor between Lisburn and the border at Newry, and Bridgewater Retail Park is the optimum location and format for the business. It has modern large floorplate units, with high roofs allowing installation of mezzanine floors, has immediate surface level car parking, and secure service yard, and forms part of an established high order retail parade with strong and growing footfall levels. Matalan’s sales efficiency is low for a comparison retailer (Global data estimates its 2025 average sales density is £1404/ sqm).

"This means that to open a store, the overheads of the site needs to be extremely competitive. The space and layout requirements of Matalan often makes high street locations unsuitable because they lack the significant space and car parking requirements. The value goods that Matalan sell are ideally located at Bridgewater Park, as these products will compete and provide an complementary offer to customers that are visiting the Boulevard and Bridgewater Park for discount and value comparison shopping.

“There is currently no Matalan store in the Republic of Ireland which again makes this proposal for a Matalan store beside the Boulevard an extremely attractive location to capture cross border shoppers at Banbridge.

“As a large store of over 4,104 sq m it will be a significant employer. Matalan have advised that 47 staff would be employed in this store. These will be a mixture of full time and part time roles. In addition, there will be 35 jobs supported in the construction sector through the installation of the mezzanine floor. This application has full board approval from Matalan and represents an investment in Banbridge of £1.9 million.

“The proposal will generate both retail and construction wages, it will remove a vacancy and improve the attraction of Banbridge and will widen competition and choice inbretailing in the catchment and wider A1 corridor.

“The minor changes to the Game of Thrones car park, which will entail re lining parking is minor works. Game of Thrones originally had 352 car parking spaces approved at Bridgewater Park. They have recently been approved 150 parking spaces at the Studio Tour site, and consequently, reducing the park and ride spaces by 150 will still leave the Game of Thrones with a combined 352 parking spaces across the two locations.”

As the proposal is classed as a major application, the applicant has also submitted a pre-application community consultation report and a Sequential Test Assessment, which considers whether suitable alternative sites are available in more policy-preferred locations. Both were co-ordinated by Inaltus.

The application is now with Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and is due to be advertised in the coming weeks.