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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| John Lewis makes new application | John Lewis makes new application |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A fresh planning application to build a £200m John Lewis store at Sprucefield near Lisburn is to be unveiled later. | |
| The proposed development has been dogged by controversy since it was first submitted four years ago. | The proposed development has been dogged by controversy since it was first submitted four years ago. |
| It has been opposed by traders in Lisburn, Belfast, Banbridge and Craigavon. | It has been opposed by traders in Lisburn, Belfast, Banbridge and Craigavon. |
| They feared their town centres would be damaged by the number of additional retail units attached to the John Lewis application. | They feared their town centres would be damaged by the number of additional retail units attached to the John Lewis application. |
| But the former mayor of Lisburn, Jim Dillon, said trade will be lost to the Republic of Ireland if John Lewis does not get permission to build at Sprucefield. | But the former mayor of Lisburn, Jim Dillon, said trade will be lost to the Republic of Ireland if John Lewis does not get permission to build at Sprucefield. |
| "If there's one at Sprucefield then the people of Northern Ireland will come here, not the one in Dublin," he said. | "If there's one at Sprucefield then the people of Northern Ireland will come here, not the one in Dublin," he said. |
| "But if you don't build at Sprucefield, there's a motorway practically from Sprucefield to Dublin and there'll be down there in an hour and a half." | "But if you don't build at Sprucefield, there's a motorway practically from Sprucefield to Dublin and there'll be down there in an hour and a half." |
| Glyn Roberts of the NI Indpendent Retail Trade Association said: "We do not have any problems with a standalone John Lewis store opening in Sprucefield. | Glyn Roberts of the NI Indpendent Retail Trade Association said: "We do not have any problems with a standalone John Lewis store opening in Sprucefield. |
| "What concerned us and our members about the previous planning application were the 30 additional retail units which would have gone alongside the proposed John Lewis store. | "What concerned us and our members about the previous planning application were the 30 additional retail units which would have gone alongside the proposed John Lewis store. |
| "We'd like to see the new proposals contain a major reduction in both the number and floor space of any additional retail units." | "We'd like to see the new proposals contain a major reduction in both the number and floor space of any additional retail units." |