Amalgamated retail units at Units 4 and 5, Springhill Shopping Centre, Killeen Avenue, Bangor

The site

Springhill Shopping Centre is a major Bangor retail destination with about 14,000 square metres of retail space and 1,042 free parking spaces.

“The site is located within Springhill Retail Park. Springhill Shopping Centre is a major retail destination in Bangor. It comprises circa 14,000sqm of retail floorspace and circa 1042 free parking spaces. It is anchored by a circa 6,300sqms Tesco, with other retailers including New Look and Sports Direct along the same frontage as the application site.”

“Matalan is to open 10 new stores across the UK. Springhill Shopping Centre has been identified as a suitable location for Matalan’s new NI store subject to the amalgamation of two identified vacant premises/units, no’s 4 & 5 to give the required floorspace of circa 2,000sqm. The units shown in the following photos, finished in metal cladding with glazing to the front.”

Officer report

Earlier permissions

Earlier permissions approved the shopping centre redevelopment and later modifications, while separate advertisement consent applications concern Units 4 and 5.

“W/2007/1028/F Location: Springhill Shopping Centre, Killeen Avenue, Bangor, BT19 1NB Proposal: Modification of W/2005/0882 for the redevelopment of the Springhill Shopping Centre involving alterations to the access and car parking arrangements, alterations to the elevations and amendments to landscaping proposals.”

“Applications for Advertisement Consent The application site is also subject to separate applications for advertisement consent for Units 4 & 5 (Matalan).”

Officer report

The officer recommendation

Officers recommended approval, finding that the proposal would consolidate existing activities without increasing floorspace or harming Bangor City Centre’s vitality.

“However the Agent states in supporting information that the ‘...proposed amalgamated unit would be circa 2,051sq m’s. This variation of condition proposal does ...not increase the overall retail floorspace permitted under the existing consent which remains capped at 16,711sqm’s’. This proposal relates solely to the amalgamation and internal reconfiguration of existing consented floorspace within an established District Centre.”

“In applying the prevailing regional policy test of a “town centre first approach”, SPPS2 (Para 6.280) directs a sequential assessment should be applied to planning applications for main town centre uses that are not within an existing centre and (my emphasis) are not in accordance with an up-to-date Local Development Plan.”

Officer report

Why officers supported it

The two existing units would be amalgamated within an established district centre, with no change to permitted retail types and no need for a sequential or need assessment.

“In conclusion this proposal represents consolidation of the Springhill District Centre in accordance with relevant planning policy for District Shopping Centres and facilitates the utilisation of a vacant narrow unit, 4, which has never been let due to its shape, and consolidation within an existing District Shopping Centre.”

Officer report

The resident’s comment

A neighbour asked that deliveries remain within the original permission’s hours because late-night deliveries elsewhere were causing loud noise.

“As a resident and overlooking neighbour all I ask is that deliveries are made within the timeframes stipulated in the original planning permission decision notices. The reason I mention this is that the coffee shop near the bank is in constant breach of this bylaw and regularly has two deliveries anytime between the hours of 11pm and 7am and it is very loud.”

“Comment: Conditions from original permission will be carried forward to this application. While the second comment is not specific to this application it is a planning enforcement matter and has been forwarded to the respective team.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The Principal Planner presented the report and advised that the application was a major application with no objections.

Members’ discussion

Councillor Cathcart questioned the original size restriction, while the officer said the proposal had no negative city-centre impact and was acceptable on its merits.

“The Chair invited questions to the Officer and Councillor Cathcart queried why the initial size restriction on retail units was imposed, noting that larger units were lacking in the city centre and might be needed. He noted that the city centre mainly contained smaller units and questioned the rationale for favouring that approach. The Officer advised the original restriction was from an old Department of Environment permission, and she was unsure of the exact reasoning.”

Minutes