THE opening date for the first store at the long awaited – and controversial – new retail park in Enniskillen has been put back by another few months.
Home Bargains is one of several major retailers due to take up residence at the new development at the site of the old Unipork factory at the junction of the Irvinestown and Cornagrade roads in the county town.
Initially, the store had been advertised as being due to open in March past, however with construction work ongoing on site, that date came and went. Now, a new sign is advertising that it will now open in early July.
Other retailers due to open at the Lakelands Retail Park include The Range, Harry Corry, and EZ Living Interiors.
Initially, the development had been called the Lakelands Retail and Leisure Park, and when originally lodged over three years ago also included plans for a six-screen cinema, bowling alley, and hotel.
The plans had been controversial from the outset, with some local businesses submitting strong objections, however the local community had generally been widely in favour of the development, particularly its planned leisure facilities.
As such, there was much shock and upset at the beginning of this year after the Fermanagh Herald revealed the plans for the bowling alley and cinema had been replaced on the planning application by a proposal for a new, second Lidl store in the town.
Despite over 270 individual objections from locals to the new Lidl proposals, Fermanagh and Omagh Council planners recommended granting permission for the German supermarket.
However, when the application was put to the Council’s planning committee in March, the decision was delayed following submissions and objections from both Tesco and Retail NI.
In their submission, Retail NI noted the fact Lidl application had been processed by the Council – between January and March – was “extremely unusual.”
The body said it was representing a number of independent retailers in Enniskillen, who had “significant concern” about the impact of the development on the town centre.
The decision was then adjourned by the planning committee for further consideration.
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