Out-of-Town Shopping Complexes

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Environment – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:45 pm on 4 March 2002.

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Photo of Dermot Nesbitt Dermot Nesbitt UUP 3:45, 4 March 2002

Future plans on that subject are a matter for the Department for Regional Development. The regional development strategy recognises the important part that retailing will play in the future well-being of Northern Ireland, and the Department for Regional Development has agreed to issue a new planning policy statement on retailing in town centres. I understand that it intends to have a draft of the new retail policy ready for public consultation in September 2002.

The existing policy on out-of-town shopping centres is clear. Proposals for major retail development in the countryside — that is, outside development limits — are not acceptable. However, existing policy provides guidelines on what are known as "out of the town centre" shopping centres, but within defined limits. The policy for dealing with those and shopping complexes is outlined in planning policy statement No. 5, ‘Retailing and the Town Centre’, which seeks to strike a balance. There are always conflicts and tensions in what the Department does between protecting the vitality and viability of town centres while at the same time promoting choice and competition to benefit consumers. Such proposals for out-of-centre and out-of-town shopping centres are subject to detailed scrutiny and are assessed against the rigorous policy test of planning policy statement No 5.