The planning report predicts an increase in population in the area but a reduction in spending power per person
Tesco supermarket delivery van
A new Tesco retail shop has been approved for part of the Makro site at Kingsway in West Belfast.
The current Tesco at the Kingsway Shopping Centre further down the road has been announced for closure, but this is not expected to happen until August 2027, by which time the new Tesco at the Makro site should be fully functioning.
Elected representatives at Belfast City Council this week approved a subdivision of the existing cash and carry Makro warehouse building and the change of use of 4,750 square metres of floorspace, a third of the Makro site, for use as a retail building.
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The works will include the erection of a new loading bay in the service yard, minor external alterations to the building and the reconfiguration of the car park, at the site at 97 Kingsway, Dunmurry, Belfast, BT17. The applicant is Tesco Stores Ltd.
Council officials recommended the application for approval at the June meeting of the council’s Planning Committee, held this week at City Hall. There were no objections from statutory consultees or third parties, except from NI Water.
The council received one third party letter of support. On the applicant’s own consultation, 155 responses were received through the website, with 140 supporting the proposals and 15 against.
The site is bounded to the east by the motorway and to the west by the railway line. The surrounding area is industrial with construction companies nearby, while residential areas are separated from the site by the railway and industrial uses.
The council planning report states: “The assessment calculates a catchment area population of 143,181 in 2025, rising to 144,272 in 2029. In terms of available spending it concludes the available convenience expenditure per capita in 2025 is £2393, reducing to £2366 by 2029.
“Taking into account the turnover of convenience retail stores within the catchment, the analysis concludes there is a surplus expenditure of £57.32m.”
The report concludes: “The applicant has demonstrated that there is no sequentially preferable site in or on the edge of centres and that the proposal will not have a significant, adverse impact on existing centres. The principle of the proposal is acceptable and complies with policy.”
The application maintains the existing access and will provide a new pedestrian crossing point along Kingsway. Alterations are proposed to the existing car park to indicate the two operators of the site and there will be new disabled and parent and child car parking.
The parking plan is to provide 175 spaces for Tesco, with the Makro store retaining 130 spaces – that is 305 in total. The proposal also includes a number of EV charging spaces within the car park.
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