Asda 'keen' to come to Lisburn says MP

In a joint statement Mr Donaldson and Councillors Paul Givan, Jonathan Craig and William Leathem welcomed the decision by Environment Minister Edwin Poots to refuse the planning application for a Food Superstore at the site.

Mr Donaldson said: "I would welcome a new Asda store, and I know that this major retailer is very keen to come to Lisburn and is widely rumoured to have been interested in this site that has now been refused. However, I have seen the problems that have arisen in other areas when a major supermarket is located in a residential area. My offices are available and with the Council will assist and do whatever we can to facilitate an alternative location that will be much more suitable."

He said that increased competition is in the consumer's interest but not in a location that is already planned for future housing to meet the needs of the local community.

"It is vital that the work I and local retail representatives are engaged in with the planned rejuvenation of our City Centre is not threatened. Unlike Sprucefield, this application is not of regional significance to Northern Ireland or Lisburn and the Minister has made the right decision" he said.

Mr Givan said the site was 'completely inappropriate'. "The application was made without any community consultation and any approach by the applicant being made towards Lisburn Council" he said.

"My experience representing residents in Benson Street, beside Tesco, has shown that supermarkets should not be built in residential areas given the impact it has on local people.

"This decision is the right one and I would appeal to those behind the application to come forward and engage properly with the Council."

Mr Craig said the road infrastructure would not have been capable of coping with a retail superstore.

"The Minister listened to the views of the residents in taking into consideration every aspect of the proposal and made a decision which I believe is the right one" he said.

Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association Chief Executive Glyn Roberts also backed the decision on the application which he said was "a clear threat to the vitality of Lisburn City Centre".

He said: "It would also have resulted in a net loss of jobs within existing retailers in the city centre who would have been unable to compete with such an unsustainable out of town store.

"The place for such a superstore is in Lisburn Town Centre where it could have added to the overall retail offer of the city rather locating so far out of town"

"We greatly appreciate the support of Lisburn City Councillors, local MLAs and Jeffrey Donaldson MP in protecting Lisburn City Centre"