Permission granted for larger Lidl supermarket and drive-through cafe in Carrickfergus
Planning permission has been granted for a proposed new Lidl supermarket at Belfast Road, Carrickfergus.
The proposal is for demolition of the existing premises and construction of a replacement discount store with a new drive-through cafe, accesses and landscaping.
It is proposed that the new building will be larger than a £5.5m outlet approved by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee in December 2023 with the planned drive-through facility to be reduced in size.
Speaking at a meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Thursday morning (October 15), a planning officer told the committee that the proposed development is in response to increased customer demand and to provide increased retail floor space,
He said that it will provide greater product accessibility and enhance provision for customers with mobility requirements by providing wider aisles.
He indicated that a retail impact assessment was required due to the “out of town” location and that other sites were dismissed because of “size, suitability and availability”.
The impact on town centre retail turnover was estimated at two to three per cent. This level of potential impact, the officer said, was “not considered significant”.
"Sainsbury’s and Tesco are identified as retailers most likely to experience competitive effect,” he added.
The officer went on to say that Lidl has operated at the location since 2010 “establishing the principle of retail development on the site”. The proposed development was considered to be “acceptable” and approval was recommended.
Planning consultant Dermot Monaghan said: “Lidl is an important local employer with 44 stores in Northern Ireland and 1,500 employees.”
He noted that it is one of the highest paying supermarkets in the region and has increased in popularity through the cost of living crisis.
He indicated that the current store in Carrickfergus is now too small to meet current demand. He stated that it would not have a “significant impact” on the town centre.
Mr Monaghan reported that the planned new outlet will support 40 jobs, including 18 new roles with 20 new posts in the drive-through cafe.
Coast Road DUP Councillor Angela Smyth said: “I do see the need for a larger store but I would be concerned about the drive-through cafe. I think it would have an impact on small cafes in the town centre.”
Mr Monaghan pointed out that the drive-through cafe approved in 2023 was larger than the proposed facility. He continued to say that a drive-through cafe is “not a town centre use”.
Larne Lough DUP Alderman Paul Reid confirmed that if the application was not granted, it would “fall back to the original” with a bigger drive-through area.
The gross floor area of the existing Carrickfergus branch is 1,518 sqm. The proposed gross floor area of the application approved in 2023 was 2,298sqm and the cafe, 292sqm. The current proposal is for gross floor area of 2,563sqm for the store and 162sqm for the cafe.
Ald Reid proposed accepting the recommendation to approve the application, seconded by party colleague Ballymena Alderman Reuben Glover. Following a vote, permission was granted unanimously.