In a case reported from the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, it was found that the change of operator of a proposed superstore from a notional small local company to a large national one (in this case Sainsbury) was a material consideration which entitled the planning authorities to require a retail impact study, and to decline to grant revised planning permission on the grounds of the effect of competition on other retailers, even though initial planning permission had already been granted for the superstore and despite the fact that this appeared tp penalise the more efficient and successful company.
- The Times 16/12/96 page 37 (Law Report)
