Traders bid to block shopping centre expansion

A legal bid has been launched to try to stop the massive expansion of the Sprucefield shopping centre outside Lisburn which would see John Lewis open its first store in Ireland, it was revealed today.

An application for a judicial review of Environment Minister Lord Rooker’s decision to grant planning permission for 500,000 sq ft of retail space - roughly half for John Lewis and the rest for 29 other stores – has been lodged.