Northern Ireland’s Michael Herbert has submitted a planning application for a 260,000 sq ft department store at the Bow Street Mall in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Herbert, one of the owners of the 400,000 sq ft Bow Street Mall, plans a department store of a similar size to that planned for a controversial proposed John Lewis store at Westfield’s nearby Sprucefield scheme.

As well as the department store it will also include an additional 540 car park spaces and 30 retail units. If the scheme, designed by Bryson Architects, is approved and developed it will bring the end value of Bow Street to £180m.

Herbert said: ‘We’ve invested considerable time and resources in the preparation of this application to ensure that everything on offer at the out-of-town Sprucefield site can be accommodated in Lisburn City Centre.

'These plans will create 1000 new jobs on completion and see another £60m invested in Lisburn City Centre.

‘More than two years ago, the John Lewis Partnership said it would look to the Republic of Ireland if it didn’t get planning at Sprucefield.

'It has now announced its intention to open in Dublin and yet it says it still wants to come to Sprucefleld. We believe that if the flexibility and willingness exists to open at least two stores on the island, then with support from everybody in Lisburn, the John Lewis Partnership can come the extra few miles into our city centre.

'Lisburn needs to have confidence in itself and our politicians need to become persuaders for the city centre.

‘Lisburn City Centre has so much to offer and we shouldn’t be settling for a sub-optimal solution at Sprucefield.

'Our proposal can bring proper regenerative benefits to the city centre and still give the department store owner broadly the same shopping catchment and opportunity as exists at Sprucefield.'

Herbert said its target is the John Lewis Partnership but it will also be looking at other major retailers.

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