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01/02/2013
John Lewis Plans Scrapped
John Lewis has withdrawn its plans to build a news shopping centre at Sprucefield, near Lisburn.
Environment Minister Alex Attwood has said he would not be changing his mind, and that the development would have to be limited to stores selling bulky goods.
DUP Leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson MLA, said this was 'bad news for Northern Ireland".
Mr Robinson said: "Alex Attwood's decision has contributed to costing Northern Ireland an estimated £150 million of investment and the Lisburn and West Belfast areas over 1,500 jobs. At a time of such economic challenges this is investment that Northern Ireland can ill afford to lose. It should be the responsibility of Ministers to encourage investment and not to prevent it.
"While I am disappointed by this news, I welcome the ongoing commitment of John Lewis to development at Sprucefield if the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan is reconsidered. I remain committed to ensuring the Executive will address this issue in the near future and hope that the circumstances will be created to allow a new John Lewis application for Sprucefield."
Defending his decision Mr Attwood said: "I have to stand back, I have to put the Northern Ireland interest first, I have to stand back and say what is the right thing for Belfast and Greater Belfast.
"I think my advice is right, timely and proportionate."
The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has urged the company to look at a new Town or City Centre location.
NIIRTA Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: "We have always strongly supported John Lewis locating a store in a town or city centre site as opposed to an unsustainable out of town location. Northern Ireland has not only the highest town centre shop vacancy rate in the UK, but twice the national average of nearly 1 in 4 shops empty.
"An out of town John Lewis would have accelerated that decline further.
"NIIRTA would urge Westfield and John Lewis to give serious thought to an alternative town centre site which will strongly support regeneration efforts and we call upon the Executive to establish a multi-departmental taskforce to assist them with this process."
(CD)
Environment Minister Alex Attwood has said he would not be changing his mind, and that the development would have to be limited to stores selling bulky goods.
DUP Leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland, Peter Robinson MLA, said this was 'bad news for Northern Ireland".
Mr Robinson said: "Alex Attwood's decision has contributed to costing Northern Ireland an estimated £150 million of investment and the Lisburn and West Belfast areas over 1,500 jobs. At a time of such economic challenges this is investment that Northern Ireland can ill afford to lose. It should be the responsibility of Ministers to encourage investment and not to prevent it.
"While I am disappointed by this news, I welcome the ongoing commitment of John Lewis to development at Sprucefield if the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan is reconsidered. I remain committed to ensuring the Executive will address this issue in the near future and hope that the circumstances will be created to allow a new John Lewis application for Sprucefield."
Defending his decision Mr Attwood said: "I have to stand back, I have to put the Northern Ireland interest first, I have to stand back and say what is the right thing for Belfast and Greater Belfast.
"I think my advice is right, timely and proportionate."
The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has urged the company to look at a new Town or City Centre location.
NIIRTA Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: "We have always strongly supported John Lewis locating a store in a town or city centre site as opposed to an unsustainable out of town location. Northern Ireland has not only the highest town centre shop vacancy rate in the UK, but twice the national average of nearly 1 in 4 shops empty.
"An out of town John Lewis would have accelerated that decline further.
"NIIRTA would urge Westfield and John Lewis to give serious thought to an alternative town centre site which will strongly support regeneration efforts and we call upon the Executive to establish a multi-departmental taskforce to assist them with this process."
(CD)
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The High Court in Belfast has today overturned a decision to grant planning permission for a John Lewis store in County Antrim. Today's decision rejects the application for the £40 million development, which had previously been given the go ahead to be built at Sprucefield, just outside Lisburn in County Antrim.
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The High Court in Belfast has today overturned a decision to grant planning permission for a John Lewis store in County Antrim. Today's decision rejects the application for the £40 million development, which had previously been given the go ahead to be built at Sprucefield, just outside Lisburn in County Antrim.
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John Lewis Plan Faces Further Delay
A public inquiry into a controversial department store plan near Lisburn has been put back until the Autumn. Over six years since the plan was first mooted, the probe aims to look into the proposals for a flagship John Lewis store. However, it opened on Monday only to be adjourned on its first day - without hearing any of the evidence.
John Lewis Plan Faces Further Delay
A public inquiry into a controversial department store plan near Lisburn has been put back until the Autumn. Over six years since the plan was first mooted, the probe aims to look into the proposals for a flagship John Lewis store. However, it opened on Monday only to be adjourned on its first day - without hearing any of the evidence.
11 November 2008
Dublin John Lewis Should Push Sprucefield Decision, Says Mayor
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Dublin John Lewis Should Push Sprucefield Decision, Says Mayor
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