Antrim Home Bargains store is approved
IT is hoped that a new £8m Home Bargains store for Antrim will be open before Christmas 2027, after plans were unanimously approved by the council.
TJ Morris has proposed the retail unit with associated landscaping, car parking, access and site works at the former Townparks Car Showroom. The site is 400 metres southeast of the Junction and 630 metres north of Antrim town centre and will comprise 2183sqm of net retail floorspace selling ‘convenience and comparison goods’.
A report before the Planning Committee of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said that there would be £8m capital expenditure on the development of the store, including 65 direct and 35 indirect construction related jobs with an associated GVA of £7.8m and that it would regenerate an existing vacant site. On a longer term basis, the report said that the new store will result in 95 direct and 59 indirect retail jobs with an associated GVA of £6m and an annual rates contribution of £126,000.
There were no objections from statutory consultees. 48 neighbouring properties were notified and two letters of objection were received and one letter of support. Concerns included increased traffic, risk of accident and pedestrian safety, an increase in noise and pollution and the fact that there are ‘ample vacant shopping areas in Antrim which would benefit from occupancy’. An objector also asked how the health of residents would be compensated due to the supply of ultra processed foods Supporters said that the town is ‘in desperate need of a Home Bargains given the vast array of goods they sell’, that Town Parks was ‘the perfect site with good space for parking and within easy reach and walking distance from local homes’ and that ‘there are far too many empty retail units creating eyesores’.
There will also be 116 car parking spaces.
Barry Diamond, Deputy Director of Planning and Building Control said that the new store will draw customers from Asda, Lidl, B&M and Tesco, and not from the designated retail centre of Antrim, with a ‘minimal’ imapact on the centre of the town and from Randalstown or Crumlin.
He said that there was ‘leaking’ of direct spend, with Antrim retaining just £43.7m potential spending and £58.6m being spent in other retailing centres
Agent for the developer, Eamonn Loughrey, said that the ‘welcome investment’ would mean that local people would not have to drive to Ballymena to visit Home Bargains and that all the shops from which trade will be drawn are already ‘trading extremely successfully’, with minimal impact on other retailers.
He added that the store will ‘reclaim’ shoppers from Ballymena and increase competition, for the benefit of local consumers and stop ‘leakage’ from Antrim.
Mr Loughrey said that the site was ‘suitable and available’ along a main bus route and easy to access via foot and bicycle as well as by car.
The agent added that the developer would protect the amenity of residential neighbours with improved landscaping and buffering.
He added that subject to approval, demolition works would commence before Christmas 2026, with construction to begin in early 2027 and a target for the store to open for next Christmas.
The recommendation to approve planning permission was proposed by Sinn Fein Councillor Rosie Kinnear and seconded by UUP Councillor Stephen Cosgrove, with all 11 members present voting unanimously for approval.