Outrage over plan to limit Sprucefield

Councillors, MLAs and the MP are united in their condemnation of the Minister’s decision to publish the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) which could effectively end the campaign to bring John Lewis to Lisburn.

“The decision of the Environment Minister to impose the BMAP plan without seeking a consensus of the Executive, is a matter of grave concern and potentially a breach of the Ministerial code and the need for collective responsibility in government,” said Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson. “I have concerns about the way in which the Minister has ridden roughshod over the planning process in deciding to implement this plan without the approval of his Ministerial colleagues.

“There are big questions that he and the SDLP need to answer, including why his predecessor appointed a company to undertake a report on Sprucefield that was incorporated into the final BMAP despite the fact that company has a potential major conflict of interest as it represents one of the biggest proposed developments in Belfast’s Royal Exchange. Any lay person would be forgiven for concluding that any report that rules out investment at Sprucefield in favour of retail development in Belfast is a conclusion that is open to serious questions.

“I think the Minister also needs to explain why he has approved out of town shopping centres in Newry and Strabane over the past six months. What has been the incentive there and why is Lisburn being treated differently? I think the SDLP need to come clean on any donations associated with major developers in Belfast. The SDLP need to be clear about where they stand on this issue.

“It is time for the gloves to come off in this fight. We have tried every avenue to win major investment, including this £100 million of retail investment and over 1000 new jobs, and to be thwarted in our efforts by decisions that are seriously flawed is thoroughly frustrating. I know that a legal challenge is now being considered at a Ministerial level and by the local council and it is essential this matter is brought to the High Court as I believe the Minister may have overreached his remit by pushing BMAP through without consensus and failing to address concerns surrounding Sprucefield and John Lewis.

“This matter is not over and if Mark Durkan wants to pick a fight then we will take the fight to him as I believe what they have done is deeply unfair and sends out a very negative message to potential investors.”

The Chairman of Lisburn City Council’s Planning Committee, Councillor Uel Mackin said the Council were taking legal advice on the issue. “The Minister’s adoption of a bulky goods restriction on retail developments at Sprucefield for the duration of the Plan is discouraging to say the least. Council officers are urgently seeking legal advice which will be considered by the council.

“I find this whole situation incredulous. Despite acknowledging representations about this issue, the priority he has set is the strengthening of Belfast City Centre and so Lisburn, and other retail centres, have been relegated to becoming poor relations, something that I am certainly outraged over.

“I find the Minister’s rationale, and his decision on retail policy for Sprucefield to be completely unacceptable.”

Lagan Valley MLA Jonathan Craig said he was “hopeful” that John Lewis would still come to Sprucefield. “No one in Lagan Valley will be left in any doubt why this Minister has made this ludicrous decision. The SDLP have had a clear policy of putting Belfast first.”

MLA Paul Givan was also critical of teh Minister, sayingL: “The statement is from a maverick Minister who has taken a cavalier approach to an issue that, because it is controversial, requires cross-community support at the Executive, and he shows contempt for private investors in the way in which he has treated the designation of Sprucefield.”

Lisburn Councillor Alexander Redpath added: “The Minister of the Environment has acted disgracefully by signing off on this policy without executive approval.”

“In taking this solo run the Minister has caused great damage to the future development of Sprucefield as a regional retail centre and to the general economic interests of the City of Lisburn.”