Poots approves £25million redevelopment plans for Dairy Farm Shopping Centre

Environment Minister, Edwin Poots today announced his decision to approve plans for a major redevelopment of Dairy Farm Shopping Centre in Dunmurry.

Minister Poots said: "This is a welcome investment boost for the area providing 200 construction jobs and 300 permanent jobs on completion. The new development will see the current centre replaced by a much-needed high-quality modern development for the area. When complete, the new Dairy Farm Shopping Centre will not only provide permanent employment opportunities but it will also benefit local businesses by providing quality premises close to main transport routes, a further positive outcome in support of the Northern Ireland economy."

The Minister added: "This reaffirms my commitment to ensure that timely decisions are made on major planning applications. It is another example of the benefits to developers and the wider community of pre-application discussion."

Pat Walsh of J P Properties, the developers who brought forward the plans for the redevelopment of the site within the Colin area said: "We are delighted that the proposal has been approved."

John McIlhone of J P Properties added: "The redevelopment will have an immediate impact on job creation as it is estimated that the build will take approximately 24 months to complete, providing up to 200 construction jobs. This is excellent news in an area that has 42% of the unemployed in the Lisburn City Council area."

The plans will see the construction of a brand new retail outlet and will include a food superstore, retail units, office units, retail services and petrol filling station. The scheme also includes a gym and the retention of the existing library. It is the seventh major planning application approved by the Environment Minister in the past 12 months.

Centre Manager Sean Toal said: "This approval marks the beginning of an exciting new future for the Dairy Farm Shopping Centre and we look forward to welcoming new and existing customers to what will become the main shopping and community hub within the area."

Notes to editors:

1. The application was submitted on 10 April 2009 by JP Properties.
2. It was designated as a major application under Article 31 of the Planning (NI) Order 1991 on 5 June 2009.
3. Article 31 Planning Applications are 'major' planning applications, designated under Article 31 of the Planning Order, that are deemed of strategic or economic significance, or are of a scale or nature that may have a significant environmental impact.
4. Following the submission on 5 August 2009 of a transport assessment and travel plan in support of the proposal, the application was processed in six months by the Strategic Projects team at Planning Service Headquarters.
5. The proposal involves: The demolition of the existing buildings on the site and the construction of approximately 14,399 square metres of gross floorspace. The proposed development will provide the following floorspace: A superstore with a gross floorspace of 6,503 square meters (4,552sqm gross of convenience floorspace and 1,951sqm gross of comparison floorspace) and a net retail floorspace of 4,552square metres (a convenience net retail floorspace of 3,186sqm and a comparison net retail floorspace of 1,366sqm). Comparison Units with a gross floorspace of 3,720sqm and a net retail floorspace of 2,790sqm. Retail Service Units with a total gross floorspace of 1,020sqm A petrol filling station and kiosk with a gross floorspace of 46 sqm (convenience floorspace) Office units with a total gross floorspace of 1,520sqm and 1,590sqm of gross floorspace for other uses including a gym and library.
6. Some of the Article 31 decisions Planning Service has processed in the past twelve months are; Magheramorne Quarry (£100million), Down High School, Northcott Shopping Centre (£35million), Hilden Mill (£100million), and the Dairy Farm Shopping Centre (£25million).
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