PLANNING permission has been granted for a new £6m Lidl supermarket on the site of the former Carryduff Shopping Centre.
The run-down centre site has been awaiting investment since the departure of anchor tenant SuperValu in 2013, with several other businesses subsequently leaving the site.
It's anticipated that construction could begin early next year.
The project includes an investment of £16million in the locality and will create 35 new permanent jobs, 100 part-time jobs and will support 250 more through the construction phase.
The proposals will also see three retail units, a cafe, bookmakers, a drive-thru cafe, provision of car parking, landscaping and associated site work.
A total of 230 car parking spaces are to be provided in total as part of the scheme. This will include four electrical vehicles spaces.
There were no representations of opposition towards the proposals to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
SDLP South Belfast MLA Matthew O'Toole said: “Carryduff has the potential to see an increase of over 1,000 extra housing units over the next decade and we need to see high-quality services to cater for that population growth.
"I am hopeful that this planning decision by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council will encourage more new businesses to make the decision to open in the town.”
SDLP Assembly candidate Elsie Trainor added: “It’s extremely welcome to see a major retailer such as Lidl invest in a brand-new supermarket for the people of Carryduff.
"The news that 250 new construction jobs will be created, in addition to the 35 retail jobs, will give the local economy a much-needed boost as we move out of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Chris Speers, Property Executive at Lidl Northern Ireland, said the proposal would help transform Carryduff.
“We’re delighted by the unanimous decision made to approve our ambitious plans for Carryduff Shopping Centre which followed a prolonged and positive period of close consultation with the local community," he said.
"This transformative investment promises to reinstate the centre’s importance as a thriving retail destination once again while also creating new opportunities for growth across the area.”
