British plan to protect town centre shopping in North

In an apparent change of policing in the North, the British government is publishing a plan to protecting town centre high street shopping.

The revised planning policy document is open for public consultation until November.

In the past, successive London ministers have been accused by town centre managements in places such as Belfast, Lisburn and Holywood of being prepared to endorse huge out-of-town shopping malls.

This plan, however, hopes to influence the future pattern of retailing by protecting city centre shops.

One notable exception to the clampdown, however, is that applications to the Sprucefield complex outside Belfast on the Dublin Road would be judged on merit.

It remains to be seen if other such exceptions will be allowed.