Major Belfast shopping centre gets go-ahead

A controversial £80 million sterling (€128 million) shopping and leisure development on the outskirts of Belfast has finally been given the go-ahead by the House of Lords in Britain after three years of legal wrangling.

The ruling by the House of Lords is expected to bring to an end the long-running saga between objectors and the developers of the site, which has twice been granted planning permission and twice had it rescinded.

The D5 complex, on a 52-acre site on the Harbour Estate in Belfast, is expected to create up to 1,200 jobs and would be one of the largest retail developments in the North when completed.

It is expected to include a Sainsbury's food superstore, large retail warehouse stores and a major leisure complex including a fitness centre and 18-screen cinema.

The developers of the scheme, Aquis Estates, Anglia and General and Belfast Port and Harbour Commissioners first applied for planning permission for the complex in November 1995.

It was granted four years later but was then successfully challenged by Belfast Chamber of Trade and the decision was overturned.

City traders have consistently argued that the development would seriously undermine trading in the city centre and cost jobs in existing stores.

Mr Frank Caddy, chief executive of the Chamber of Trade, has warned that existing trade could not support the city centre businesses and the proposed out-of-town shopping complex. He believes the complex would also contravene UK planning guidelines, which seek to sustain and enhance the vitality and viability of town centres.

Belfast City Council has been a key objector to D5. It has encouraged applications for shopping schemes in the city centre from developers such as Dunloe Ewart and Dutch company MDC, to promote the city to new retailers.

Businesses in nearby towns to Belfast, including Holywood and Bangor, have also voiced concern about the adverse impact a development such as the proposed size of D5 would have on their trading.

These concerns have been downplayed by developers who believe there is strong demand from national and international firms for retail space in the North.

Two years ago the development body submitted a revised planning application for the project which was granted permission, but city traders initiated another successful appeal and it was blocked once again by the High Court in Belfast. Earlier this year the Court of Appeal overturned the High Court's decision and the House of Lords has now upheld the Court of Appeal's ruling.

The president of the Belfast Chamber of Trade, Ms Mary Woods, said last night she was very disappointed by the decision.

"It is not unexpected but it is out of step with what shoppers and employers wanted.

"We believe, however, that the degree of investment and development in the city since the initial objection was lodged three years ago allows us to be confident that further retail growth can be achieved," Ms Woods said.