Retail goods sale at Lesley Retail Park, Belfast

“The site is located on the east side of Boucher Road about 900m south of its junction with Tates Avenue. It is about 1.8km south of the Belfast City Centre boundary as defined in the Belfast Urban Area Plan (BUAP) and the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (dBMAP). It is about 1200m from Broadway roundabout which provides access to the M1 Motorway/Westlink.”

“The site is zoned for industry and commerce use in the Belfast Urban Area Plan and is unzoned in both versions of Draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan. Planning Assessment of Policy and other Material Considerations…”

“Z/2013/0397/LDP - Unit 1 Lesley Retail Park - Erection of an internal partition wall to subdivide Unit 1 into two units. Approved 16/05/2013”

“LA04/2016/2413/LDP - Unit 1 Lesley Retail Park - Erection of mezzanine floor inside retail unit . Approved 04/04/2017 4.0 Policy Framework 4.1 Belfast Urban Area Plan 2001”

“However, the potential retail impact of the proposal as quantified in the applicant’s RS seems reasonable and proportionate. Assessing retail impact is not an exact science and some of the data used within the applicant’s RS in relation to the catchment of the proposal, trade diversions and population differ to that considered by the DPP team.”

“The sites have been tested against the requirements of the proposed development and there is no designated centre or sequentially preferrable site within the catchment that can satisfy the commercial needs and physical requirements that the proposal is designed to meet.”

“The Retail Impact Assessment, Sequential Test and supporting information accompanying the application have been reviewed by the Planning Service’s Plans and Policy team, which has no objections to the proposed uses and considers that there are no sequentially preferrable sites in the proposal’s whole catchment when considered against the criteria of suitability, availability and viability.”

“All consultees are content with the proposed development subject to conditions which are set out in the report.”

“The application was advertised on 14 th April 2023 and 28th February 2025 and neighbour notified on the 13 th April 2023 and 24 th February 2025.”

“The Principal Planning Officer outlined the application to the Committee and stated that, having regard to the Development Plan, relevant planning policies and consultation responses, it was recommended that the variation of condition be approved.”

“In response to a request from a Member with regard to an increase in non-bulky goods use within the Boucher Road area, the Principal Planning Officer agreed that future reports would include percentage growth statistics regarding type of use within the area.”

“The Committee approved the variation of condition and delegated authority to the Director of Planning and Building Control to finalise the wording of the conditions and to deal with any other matters that might arise, provided they were not substantive.”

“The retail unit, known as Unit1, hereby approved shall have a net retail floorspace of 950 sqm of which no more than 760 sqm net floorspace shall be used for the sale of convenience goods and no more than 190 sqm net floorspace shall be used for the sale of comparison goods.”

“Convenience goods for this purpose are hereby defined as the sale of: (a) Food and drink, including alcoholic drink. (b) Tobacco, newspapers, magazines and confectionary. (c) Stationery and paper goods. (d) Toilet requisites and cosmetics. (e) Household cleaning materials. (f) Other retail goods as may be determined in writing by the Council as generally falling within the category of convenience goods”.”