A huge extension is being planned at the Marlborough Retail Park in Craigavon.
If given the go-ahead, the existing Marks and Spencer Food Hall would almost double in size.
And another leading food retailer would be accommodated with plans to build an additional store next door.
Previously approved plans, however, for a gym and fitness centre will not proceed, it has emerged.
The details have been outlined with the submission of a fresh planning application to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
The proposals, by Portadown-based Turkington Properties, would also involve the “reconfiguration/addition” of parking on site. It would see a slight increase in parking overall, from 533 to 522 spaces.
The new food retailer is not identified in this stage of the application but it is understood it would be moving from the locality to the Marlborough Retail Park.
A supporting statement by TSA Planning reveals: “”The additional retail unit is to the specification of a food retailer seeking to locate to the retail park and thus represents a firm development opportunity.”
The new store would be located to the “northeast of the existing retail parade”.
Marlborough Retail Park is described as “relatively new”, having undergone significant redevelopment and investment in recent years by the applicant after the conversion of the former B&Q store, which closed in 2016.
Tenants now include Airtastic, the Marks and Spencer Food Hall, Dreams/Sofatime, Home Bargains and O’Neills. It also includes fast food and coffee shop standalone units, namely Burger King, Starbucks and Greggs.
Approval had been given in June last year for further developments, which had included two retail units, a food store close to 9,000 sq ft and non-food of more thn 10,000 sq ft, along with a gym and fitness centre, again over 10,000 sq ft in size.
This would have brought overall floorspace at Marlborough Retail Park to in excess of 141,000 sq ft.
That planning approval remains ‘live’ until June 2028.
But the applicants’ intentions for the site have now changed.
Instead of providing two new retail units, the hope is to build a major extension to the Marks and Spencer Food Hall, and the construction of an additional one store for the new food retailer.
The gym and fitness centre – which had been planned on a first floor level – would not now proceed.
The Marks and Spencer unit would almost double in size. It currently boasts floorspace of close to 12,000 sq ft. This would increase to almost 21,000 sq ft if plans are given the thumbs-up.
The new food retail unit would provide over 11,400 sq ft of floorspace at ground level and an additional 2,400 sq ft “as a mezzanine level”.
This is described as “comparable” to that approved two years ago.
In terms of parking, the supporting statement explains: “The parking and servicing arrangements remain as per the approval with a new service yard to the rear of the new units and the customer car parking being sited adjacent to Units 4 and 5 of the Retail Park (O’Neills and Airtastic).
“The car parking includes 115 spaces which increases the overall provision of the retail park to 552 spaces.”
And it concludes: “The site benefits from live planning permission for a similar proposal, however, the current proposal has been amended to suit the needs of M&S Food Hall and the new entrant into the retail park. The proposal represents a firm development.
“The application is sought further to the successful redevelopment of Marlborough Retail Park, following the closure of B&Q in April 2016.
“The proposals will complement the existing retail and leisure uses to strengthen the vitality and viability of Craigavon Town Centre.”
The application will now be advertised shortly.
