History
The first planning application for what was then known as D5 was made by Aquis Estates Limited, Anglia and General Developments Limited and Belfast Harbour Commissioners on 14 November 1995. A five week public inquiry was held in December 1996 and January 1997. In 1997 the Planning Appeal Commission and the Department of the Environment's Planning Service recommended that approval should be granted. Formal planning permission was granted on 13 April 1999. On 21 June 1999 Belfast City Council and The Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce applied for judicial review of the decision to grant planning permission. On 9 July 1999 planning permission for D5 was quashed as it was judged that the Minister did not take the decision with all the relevant information.
Planning permission for the competing Tesco development on the opposite side of the A2 road had been granted on 28 November 1998. Following the quashing of planning permission for D5 its developers sought judicial review of the permission granted to Tesco, arguing that the same could apply to that development, however this was refused on 17 September 1999. This judgement was slightly controversial, given that the judge refused to rescind planning permission solely because the £13 million Tesco store was almost complete.
The developers resubmitted their planning application and were granted permission on 21 March 2000. This decision was again successfully challenged in September 2000. Following another appeal planning permission was granted in February 2001. The Belfast Chamber of Trade lodged a legal challenge with the House of Lords, however its judicial committee refused to grant the chamber of trade leave to appeal. Construction of the B&Q store commenced in December 2002.
B&Q Holywood Exchange opened in August 2003. Sainsbury’s Holywood Exchange opened in September 2003 with a sales area of 3,809 m2 (41,000 ft2)
The retail warehouse units were not let after completion; they are "the subject of strict guidelines that dictate that only bulky goods can be sold" as a result of the legal challenges to its construction. However in May 2008 The Irish News reported that The Planning Service "is considering an application that would see the addition of a mezzanine floor in the retail warehouse. Retailers say the additional space is necessary for them to display goods." The Irish News named Harvey Norman, Next, T.K. Maxx and Bhs as likely tenants; all selling electric and/or homeware goods.
Read more about this topic: Holywood Exchange
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