Sainsbury confronted by new legal obstacle

SAINSBURY's proposed supermarket at Coleraine has run into a new legal obstacle.

For the second time in a year the English supermarket giant is faced with the prospect of a judicial review which could lead to another lengthy delay.

Boots the Chemist has lodged papers in the High Court in Belfast seeking leave to apply for a judicial review of planning permission granted last month by the Department of the Environment.

A spokesman for Sainsbury said it was disappointed by the latest court action.

"We also believe that the people of Coleraine will be disappointed that this has cropped up again," he said.

The spokesman added: "We find it bizarre that Boots are pursuing this given that they have just announced proposals to build 100 out of town units on the mainland."

It was Boots, along with Fitzwilton owned Wellworth which successfully applied last year for a judicial review of the original planning permission.

That led to building work being put on hold after a judge ruled that planning permission was unlawful because the DoE had not carried out a retail impact study.

The main contractors, Farrans, has returned to the site where work was stopped last summer. At that stage the entire steelwork had been erected and building work was estimated to have cost £2 million.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury has revealed details of the proposed integrated retail and leisure park at Sprucefield, near Lisburn. The multimillion development, which is also awaiting the goahead from the planners, will consist of an 80,000 square feet supermarket, as well as a multiplex cinema, and 50,000 square feet of nonfood retailing. It is expected to employ 500 people during the construction phase, and, when completed, to create jobs for around 1,000 full and part time staff.