'Through the continued success of the business, the applicant has outgrown its premises': Coleraine car dealership to convert former Northern Ireland Lidl supermarket into new showroom
JKC BMW plans to transform vacant Coleraine Lidl unit into new showroom boosting customer experience and creating jobs
A BMW dealership is looking to expand its operations in Coleraine by converting a vacant supermarket unit into a new showroom.
JKC BMW has submitted a planning application for a change of use at 2 Riverside Park North, which would see the existing Class A1 retail unit repurposed for the sale and display of motor vehicles. The plans also include internal and external alterations to the building and its surrounding area.
The unit was previously occupied by Lidl, which relocated to a larger store within Riverside Retail Park in February 2025. Since the supermarket’s departure, the site has remained vacant.
In a planning statement, JKC BMW said it had outgrown its current Ballycastle Road premises, which are limited by neighbouring land uses and infrastructure constraints.
The family-owned company, established in 1972, employs 85 staff across four sites in Coleraine and has been trading for more than 50 years.
A supporting planning statement said: “Through the continued success of the business, the applicant has outgrown its premises on Ballycastle Road and requires a larger site to further improve their customer service and offering. For years JKC have been waiting for suitable premises within Coleraine to come to market.
“In February 2025, Lidl moved out of the application site premises into a new much larger new retail unit within Riverside Retail Park. Since then, the application site has remained vacant. This vacant unit will enable JKC to expand thereby further enhancing customer experience, whilst also enabling future job creation."
It added: "Importantly, the scale, bulk, massing and height of the host building would remain unchanged from that in-situ.”
Proposed changes to the building include additional glazing, new cladding on the main elevation, a new entrance area, and a roller door for vehicle access. The design aims to give the building a more contemporary appearance, while the overall scale, bulk, and height of the structure would remain unchanged.
The planning statement notes that other car sales and showroom businesses already operate within Riverside Park and says the development would complement existing uses while increasing options for customers across the North Coast.
The application, received on December 10 2025 and validated on December 17, will now go to Coleraine Borough Council’s Planning Committee for consideration. Planning agents Clyde Shanks Ltd are acting on behalf of JKC BMW.