Plan to double size of Castlecourt

A proposal to extend Castlecourt failed to get backing earlier this year

The owners of Belfast city centre's largest shopping complex, Castlecourt, have submitted a planning application to more than double its size.

The developers have said the extension would add to the value of the city as a shopping destination and would create more than 3,000 jobs.

Earlier this year, a proposal to extend Castlecourt failed to get the backing of the Belfast Regeneration Office.

It instead threw its weight behind a scheme to redevelop the Victoria Square area of the city centre.

The planning application has been submitted by Westfield, on behalf of the joint owners.

Parking

The current shopping centre is 31,130 square metres and the proposal is to increase this to 80,410 square metres, with car parking increasing from 1,540 spaces to 3,125 spaces.

It is estimated the proposed scheme will create a further 1,250 jobs during the construction phase.

The developers said the development would encourage inward investment in Belfast and add vitality to the city centre.

They said the scheme would lead to the regeneration of the North Street area and included a proposal to relocate and revitalise Smithfield Market - a plan currently under discussion with Belfast city council.

Castlecourt is jointly owned by Westfield and MEPC.

Westfield is a fully integrated retail property company with an £8bn portfolio of shopping centre assets across the world.

It also manages six other shopping centres in Guildford, Nottingham, Derby, Bury, Swindon and Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Deal

Meanwhile, the textile company Fruit of the Loom is being bought over.

The deal with Berkshire Hathaway is worth over $800m and should be completed early next year.

About 850 people are employed in Fruit of the Loom's operations in Londonderry and Donegal.

The announcement has been welcomed by the company's management.