The gloves are off: Springisland objects to rival Lineside supermarket plan

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Tension is mounting in the war of Coalisland’s supermarkets as heavyweight superstore Springisland has submitted objections to the planned Lineside development.

• Lineside supermarket car park will be a ‘floodlit playground for anti-social behaviour’ – Springisland owner
• Springisland say footfall figures are ‘grossly understated in an attempt to falsify expected increased in traffic’
• Springisland booze licence bid approved
• Architect for Lineside store hits back at ‘ungrounded’ Springisland allegations

Rossdale Developments Ltd have submitted plans to build a huge Newell Stores supermarket about twice the size of Springisland on the site of the disused Lineside egg store.

But Springisland owner Peter Rice has attacked the proposals, accusing the developers of submitting inaccurate information in a bid to push forward their plans.

Mr Rice claimed figures for the number of visitors to the new store were “grossly understated” in an attempt to “falsify the expected increased traffic”.

But the new superstore’s architects, Clarman, have hit back at the objections, saying the figures have been adequately verified.

In a letter objecting to the Lineside proposals, Mr Rice said: “This additional car parking will only serve as a floodlit playground for those involved in the anti-social behaviour that usually occurs in that area.”

He added: “I find the figures given to be grossly understated, in what I believe to be an attempt to falsify the expected increased traffic for the purposes of increasing the likelihood of receiving a favourable outcome.”

Details of the formal objection to the Lineside supermarket have emerged after Springisland applied to open its own in-store off-licence back in February.

Alcohol sales at the store, which have since been approved by the DOE, will further heighten competition with rival store Supervalu at the opposite end of the town, which already has an off-licence located within a short walking distance.

But both businesses face a big challenge for market dominance as plans to build the Lineside Newell Stores progress.

In his letter to the planning authority, Mr Rice blasted figures submitted by Rossdale Developments Ltd outlining the expected number of vehicles and customers visiting the proposed supermarket each day.

The developers expect to attract 818 people to the premises every day, including  348 customers and 30 employees.

Mr Rice said: “Looking at my own supermarket, which is less than half the size of the one proposed, I have over twice the customers per day.

“Surely a supermarket of over twice the size would like to have twice the customers as myself or at the very least a similar number.”

Mr Rice estimated that the new store, approximately the same size as Newell Stores in Dungannon, would attract 20,000 customers every week.

He said: “To facilitate the number of customers you would need approximately 150 staff per week. Where will they all park?”

Mr Rice raised concerns over whether provisions would be made to prevent traffic congestion resulting from the proposed development.

He also questioned how much consideration had been given to pedestrians in the plans for a new roundabout next to the health centre, which will create two-lanes of road traffic in places, traffic islands and zebra crossings.

The Lineside plans have been drawn up by Clarman Architects – the same company that previously criticised the supermarket proposals as creating a “serious hazard” in the town.

But the architect came on board after selling their Lineside offices to the developers to create extra parking spaces.

In a letter responding to the objections, Clarman’s Jim Maneely said the plans provide enough parking spaces for the size of supermarket proposed.

Mr Maneely added that the store usage figures were based on data from Newell Stores in Dungannon, and were cross-checked against figures from the appointed Consultants RPS Group.

Tackling the concerns over anti-social behaviour, Mr Maneely said: “As this store will be in operational throughout the trading day and manned at night by staff repacking shelves and security personnel we do not foresee any issue with respect to anti-social activity.

“Car park lighting will be off when the store is closed to trading. Therefore these concerns are ungrounded.”

>Have a look at all our reports on the Lineside supermarket development

>Supermarket planning application

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