Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA): Mr Glyn Roberts Chief Executive Mr Paul Stewart President

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1 MAGHERAFELT DISTRICT COUNCIL Minutes of Proceedings of a Special Meeting of Magherafelt District Council held in the Council Chamber, 50 Ballyronan Road, Magherafelt on Tuesday, 16 November 2010 at 7.00 pm. Presiding: J F Kerr Other Members Present P J Bateson S W S Brown J Campbell T J Catherwood (joined the meeting at 9.05 pm) O T Hughes Miss K A Lagan Mrs K A McEldowney P McLean J J McPeake I P Milne G C Shiels Apologies Mrs E A Forde J Crawford Officers Present: A Cassells (Director of Operations) Mrs Anne-Marie Campbell (Director of Policy & Development) Mrs A Junkin (Chief Executive s Secretary) C McCarney (Manager PEACE III Programme) Item 1 only Representatives from Other Bodies in Attendance: Quarry Production Association Northern Ireland: Mr Gordon Best Regional Director Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA): Mr Glyn Roberts Chief Executive Mr Paul Stewart President Residents Association: Mr John Clayton Mrs Deirdre Quinn Ms Lorraine McCormack Developers Conway Group, Magherafelt: Mr Jarlath Conway Mr Des Taggart Property Developer Mr Peter Stewart Architect Mr Paul Watson - RPS In the absence of the Chief Executive who was attending a Chairperson s reception, Mr Andrew Cassells read the notice convening the meeting.

2 1 Quarry Production Association NI The Chairperson welcomed Mr Gordon Best, Managing Director of the Quarry Production Association Northern Ireland to the meeting and asked him to make his presentation to the Council. Mr Best thanked the Chairperson and Council for honouring QPA s request to address Council and gave a PowerPoint presentation (Appendix 1). He outlined Northern Ireland s primary aggregate productions, QPANI member companies in the Mid Ulster area and gave the numbers directly employed to be 1,146. Mr Best developed his presentation by outlining the use of local stone and said that the estimated value of manufactured products of concrete, cement and asphalt in the Mid-Ulster area amounted to 100 million. In Magherafelt there was 24% of the working population employed in manufacturing compared to the Northern Ireland average of 8%; and 16% were employed in construction compared to the Northern Ireland average of 6%. The key priorities were outlined as the production of jobs, investment in infrastructure and skills of young people. He detailed the importance of the construction industry and key actions required in an effort for Northern Ireland to revitalise this industry and thus recover more quickly from the recession. Several questions were asked by Members. The main issues discussed were inefficiency of planning, no system of mapping aggregates to protect natural development, the cost of electricity compared to GB or RoI and Members agreed that the industry required an injection of money. After some discussion it was agreed that a business breakfast should be initiated. It required to be well thought out and include ideas to steer the industry s way out of the current situation. The Council also supported whatever QPA decided to do and any arrangements should be made through Mr Chris McCarney. 2 Major Planning application H/2010/0254/F The Chairperson welcomed representatives from Magherafelt Residents Association from housing developments in the Moneymore Road area to the meeting. The Residents Association had come to address the Council on their reasons for objecting to Planning Application H/2010/0254/F. This application was for the demolition of existing buildings, construction of a food superstore (with restaurants & ancillary accommodation) with petrol filling station, car wash facilities, car parking and servicing, along with associated access works, general site works and landscaping on lands to include 58a & 60 Moneymore Road and lands to the rear of 7 Killyfaddy Road, Magherafelt. Ms Deirdre Quinn said that this was this development was the wrong size in the wrong place. The focuses of the residents concerns were location, situation and site and the impact on the local residents. This, she said, was exclusively a residential area. Ms Quinn spoke of road safety issues for residents and school children in the area, the traffic impact and the likely increase in congestion should the development go ahead. The Residents Association wished to see the protection of local shops and the development of Magherafelt Town centre, providing employment and investment. 2

3 They wanted to see, as described in the Area Plan, Magherafelt as a local hub, a vibrant busy town centre, and an entrepreneurial centre for young people. Ms Quinn asked the Council to vote against this application. The Chairperson then invited Mr Paul Stewart, proprietor of J C Stewarts, Magherafelt and President of NIIRTA to address the meeting. Mr Stewart said that NIIRTA since its inception eleven years ago represented 13,000 small businesses in Northern Ireland. He said that NIIRTA was not antimultiple, but was anti out-of-town development. Retailers wanted to see vibrant and dynamic town centres at the heart of local economic development. He did not believe that town centre development was unsustainable. Mr Stewart spoke of the planning policy vacuum and of new legislation which was now in place because of the John Lewis case. He spoke of the scale of the application (70,000 square feet), an out of town hypermarket and how it would compete with the indigenous retail trade of Magherafelt. This would lead to the shop closures of existing businesses and this raised the question who would then invest in Magherafelt. Mr Stewart referred to the reported leakage of 10m to other local towns and enquired if this figure was gross or net. He said that he knew of no other town in Northern Ireland with a store of this size and asked why did Magherafelt require a mega store? In conclusion Mr Stewart said that NIIRTA had come to the Council as it was the only statutory consultee, to ask Members to vote against this application. Councillor O T Hughes pointed out that he had met with a number of the objectors and they had no problems with a superstore and were not against the development. In reply, Ms Quinn said that the development was much too big for Magherafelt, competition was good but this large development was not the solution. Ms Lorraine McCormack said that this application was for the wrong side of Magherafelt town where there was excessive traffic and this development would make it impossible for local residents particularly in Morgan s Close and other adjoining residential areas to get in and out of these areas. This was principally a residential area and as such the development would exacerbate traffic congestion and parking. She said that most residents were in favour of a store but on a smaller scale and in another part of town. Mr John Clayton said that the Residents cared about this place and their children. They cared about the town and the district of Magherafelt and said that he had faith in Magherafelt District Council to come to the right decision. Individuality in town centres was sustainable and reduced the carbon footprint. Mr Glyn Roberts advised that NIIRTA was not opposed to multiples but this was t in his opinion, was a major development. Competition was fair but this hypermarket would be competing with the town centre. He gave examples of larger developments in Antrim, Lurgan and L/Derry. Magherafelt had unique shops and he did not wish to see the loss of individuality. 3

4 Mr Roberts circulated to Members copies of Nightmare on every Street a NIIRTA publication. Councillor T J Catherwood joined the meeting at 9.05 pm. Members asked many questions from the Residents Association and NIIRTA regarding their objections to the proposed development in order to get a complete picture. Councillor Kerr thanked both parties for attending and said that the Council would, in the interests of fairness and equality take all the comments into its deliberations. Representatives from NIIRTA and Magherafelt Residents Association retired from the meeting at 9.35 pm. Councillor T J Catherwood retired from the meeting at 9.35 pm. The Chairperson, Councillor J F Kerr welcomed Mr Des Taggart, Property Manager for the Conway Group to the meeting. Mr Taggart said that Merit Developments was part of the Conway Group and he updated the Council on developments since they had met with the Council s Party Group Leaders. Mr Taggart spoke of the need for a major retailer in Magherafelt. He said that the leakage of 10 million of grocery retail expenditure could be clawed back by bringing a major retailer to Magherafelt, providing more choice and better value for money. He said that the Group was committed to the economic development and promotion of Magherafelt. He felt that the young people and unemployed in the town would welcome the opportunity of new jobs, training and investment and the new supermarket would bring all of these. Conway Group remained open to discuss this application in spite of the opposition and was confident that the vast majority of residents would welcome a new major supermarket in the town. He said that the Group had been approached by three major food chain suppliers Asda, Sainsbury s and Tesco to build a retail store in Magherafelt. Mr Taggart remained confident that the site applied for was in the best location since there were no suitable town centre sites available. He also added that a supermarket did not have large volumes of traffic at peak times and now with a second roundabout there would be less of an impact. The Conway Group were confident that such a development would bring economic growth to Magherafelt and all the work would be carried out by the company. The Company reassured the Council that, as far as possible, it would employ local people in its building and development. The Group sought the support of the Council and was confident that it could deliver. 4

5 During the many questions which Councillors asked, the Chairperson, Councillor J F Kerr reminded Members of the lateness of the hour and that the meeting had been continuously in session for four hours. A decision was required as to whether the meeting would adjourn or continue. It was Proposed by Councillor Miss K A Lagan Seconded by Councillor P J Bateson, and Resolved: that the meeting continue. Representatives from the Conway Group retired from the meeting at pm. The Chairperson said that the Council should make a decision either to support or oppose the planning application. Councillor O T Hughes proposed that the Council did not take a decision at this meeting. Other Members said that they had received all the necessary information and had made up their minds how they would vote. Councillor Hughes pointed out that a number of Members were absent from the meeting. Members replied stating that all the party groupings knew how those absent would vote and that a vote should be taken. Councillor O T Hughes then proposed that an independent survey be carried out to establish if ratepayers in the District supported the plans for a new retail store in the Moneymore Road area of Magherafelt. There was no Seconder for his proposal. Councillor J J McPeake stated that he understood a planning decision was imminent and that the Council should decide its position. Councillor I P Milne called for a vote to be taken. Councillor P J Bateson requested a recorded vote. On a vote being taken, Councillor O T Hughes voted for supporting Planning Application H/2010/0254/F (1 vote). Councillors P J Bateson, S W S Brown, J Campbell, J F Kerr, Miss K A Lagan, Mrs K A McEldowney, P McLean, J J McPeake, I P Milne and G C Shiels voted against (10 votes). The Chairperson, Councillor J F Kerr, declared that Council did not support the proposal. 5

6 Councillor P McLean requested that Planning Service be written to inform the Department of the Council s decision and that a copy of the letter be circulated to all Members. The meeting concluded at pm. A Cassells Director of Operations The foregoing Minutes are hereby Confirmed. (Chairperson) (Date) 6