A Belfast developer won a major battle against Limerick City and County Council yesterday, when he got the go-ahead for a new shopping centre near the University of Limerick, which opens the way for Marks & Spencer to move into the city.

A group of retailers has lodged a formal objection with Limerick City & County Council against a developer's plan to construct a €100m shopping centre which would create and estimated 2,000 jobs on the outskirts of Limerick City.