ASDA said yesterday that delays in the planning process had forced it to shelve plans to relocate a Belfast store from the Shore Road to a new development at nearby Loughside.
The supermarket chain said the application to regenerate the Loughside site was first submitted in 2009 by Bayshore Developments and Belfast City Council, and said no decision had yet been reached by Environment Minister, Alex Attwood.
“We are dedicated to growing our offer in Northern Ireland, but have made the difficult decision to withdraw our interest in redeveloping our Shore Road store at the site in Loughside,” said senior property communications manager Lisa Rooke. “The delays in the planning process have not assisted the application, and the proposal for relocating the store no longer adds up in the current economic climate.
“We have listened to the views of the local community, and are looking at opportunities to make improvements to our existing store on Shore Road, which trades successfully and has good community relations in the area.”