Westfield’s and Snodden’s contentious extension plans for the Sprucefield shopping centre is facing further delays after the Northern Irish Planning Appeals Commission shelved the planning inquiry. The inquiry into plans for a 500,000 sq ft extension to the Sprucefield shopping centre near Lisburn – which would be anchored by John Lewis – was scheduled for next month. However, this week the commission shelved the objection because it said the development consortium had failed to follow the correct process when submitting an environmental impact assessment report and questions over whether the application status was still “live”. A Westfield spokesman said: “We are disappointed by the decision to postpone the public inquiry which was announced by the Planning Appeals Commission. “This decision will further delay the significant investment and job creation to the area which would be delivered by this scheme should planning consent be granted. “Whilst we will work with the planning service to seek clarity on the status of the existing planning application, we have submitted a duplicate application which has been validated today. “We continue to believe that a public inquiry should be held in order to facilitate open and public debate, and that it should be expedited. Westfield remains committed to the project.” The extension plans have been the subject of criticism for years from objectors which claim that the extension is too large and will adversely affect the Belfast, Craigavon, and Lisburn retail markets. A spokesman for objectors in Belfast and Lisburn said: “While the inquiry is now shelved because of the applicant’s failure to follow the correct process, it is also abundantly clear from the papers submitted to the inquiry that the Northern Irish Planning Service only wants this to happen in a town or a city centre and we would call on Westfield and John Lewis to recognise that fact and do as they have to do in the rest of the UK and locate where the greatest economic impact can be achieved – in a town or city centre.” The inquiry was initiated by planning minister Sammy Wilson, who has since become finance minister, and the planning brief has been taken on by Edwin Poots.
Westfield’s Sprucefield planning inquiry postponed
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Westfield’s and Snodden’s contentious extension plans for the Sprucefield shopping centre is facing further delays after the Northern Irish Planning Appeals Commission shelved the planning inquiry.
The inquiry into plans for a 500,000 sq ft extension to the Sprucefield shopping centre near Lisburn – which would be anchored by John Lewis – was scheduled for next month.
However, this week the commission shelved the objection because it said the development consortium had failed to follow the correct process when submitting an environmental impact assessment report and questions over whether the application status was still “live”.
A Westfield spokesman said: “We are disappointed by the decision to postpone the public inquiry which was announced by the Planning Appeals Commission.
“This decision will further delay the significant investment and job creation to the area which would be delivered by this scheme should planning consent be granted.
“Whilst we will work with the planning service to seek clarity on the status of the existing planning application, we have submitted a duplicate application which has been validated today.
“We continue to believe that a public inquiry should be held in order to facilitate open and public debate, and that it should be expedited. Westfield remains committed to the project.”
The extension plans have been the subject of criticism for years from objectors which claim that the extension is too large and will adversely affect the Belfast, Craigavon, and Lisburn retail markets.
A spokesman for objectors in Belfast and Lisburn said: “While the inquiry is now shelved because of the applicant’s failure to follow the correct process, it is also abundantly clear from the papers submitted to the inquiry that the Northern Irish Planning Service only wants this to happen in a town or a city centre and we would call on Westfield and John Lewis to recognise that fact and do as they have to do in the rest of the UK and locate where the greatest economic impact can be achieved – in a town or city centre.”
The inquiry was initiated by planning minister Sammy Wilson, who has since become finance minister, and the planning brief has been taken on by Edwin Poots.
bridget.oconnell@rbi.co.uk
