£1m Northern Ireland retail park investment approved as B&M prepares to move in

ABC Planning committee members have approved major expansion plans that will see Unit 10 at Bridgewater Park double in size to accommodate a B&M Bargains store, while an adjacent unit will house a garden centre at the retail complex outside Banbridge.

Presenting the plans at the July 1 ABC Planning & Regulatory Services committee meeting, Principal Planning officer, Roisin Hamill commented: “This is a retrospective application for the erection of one retail unit to be used for mixed convenience and comparison shopping at Bridgewater Park.

“It’s adjacent to existing units including Home Bargains, EZ Living [Interiors], and M&S.

“The proposal is essentially the amendment to the unit and garden centre approved under [a previous] application, to increase the size of Unit 10 from 1,026 m² gross floor space to 2,052 m² gross floor space, and the repositioning of the approved garden centre with amendments to the approved car park layout.

“A change in the type of retailing is also proposed. The main elements of the proposal are construction of Unit 10 to be used as a mixed convenience and comparison retail warehouse with increased floor space, and the provision of a garden centre which provides 760 m² net floor space.

“The garden centre will be connected to unit 10 by internal sliding doors and will have no roof.

“The revised arrangement includes the omission of a drive-through restaurant [previously] approved, and the reconfiguration of that area to provide additional parking, together with the retention and reconfiguration of 352 spaces associated with the Game of Thrones uses.

“The proposal introduces an element of convenience retailing, but this forms only a small portion of the overall floor space and does not undermine the retail warehouse function of the park.

“A sequential assessment has been submitted which demonstrates there are no suitable, available or viable alternative sites within Banbridge or Dromore.

“The retail impact and need assessment has been submitted which demonstrates the need for the proposed development.

“It also demonstrates the proposal is expected to retain local expenditure and enhance retail choice without causing significant harm to Banbridge town centre.

“Predicted trade diversion levels are modest and well within acceptable thresholds. The design, layout and scale of the development integrates appropriately with the existing retail park. On balance, the proposal represents sustainable development, and it is recommended for approval.”

Representing the applicant, Gortalowry Development Ltd, Kyle Porter commented: “I welcome the recommendation of the planning officer. This is a significant application that will allow the delivery of a new retailer to Bridgewater Park — B&M Bargains — with a garden centre, while maintaining the 352 parking spaces for the Game of Thrones park & ride.

“We’ve worked carefully with the council officers to provide a detailed proposal that deals with all aspects of the application in terms of retail policy, design, parking, access, drainage and ecology.

“As a major application, we carried out a full pre-application community consultation. We have worked closely with the operators of the Game of Thrones tourism facility and ensured that they are in agreement with the application as proposed.

“We’ve demonstrated that the site already benefits from a significant retail permission, and that this proposal will not cause any harm to any protected town centre. We’ve also demonstrated that there are no sequentially preferable sites for the proposal.

“The proposal is partially in compliance with the adopted local development plan and there are material considerations that outweigh any perceived conflict with the plan.

“Bridgewater Park is clearly identified in the local development plan as the location that will accommodate additional retailing in Banbridge, and the proposal is consistent with this.

“There is a policy-based need and a qualitative need for this proposal that will introduce a new discounter to the area, which will complement the other shops already located in Bridgewater and the rest of Banbridge, without any harmful impacts on the town centre.

“The proposal will provide 40 new jobs and represents a further £1m investment into the site by Gortalowry, on top of the already invested £5.5m.

“The proposal is consistent with the local development plan, the Strategic Planning Policy Statement and the relevant Regional Planning Policy Statements. Given the foregoing, I respectfully request the committee approve the application.”

The recommendation to approve the planning application was proposed by Councillor Kevin Savage (SF, Banbridge DEA) and seconded by Councillor Ian Wilson (DUP, Banbridge DEA).