Two commercial planning applications in Glenavy Road, Moira and Comber Road, Dundonald have been recommended for approval, following a Planning Committee meeting today at Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council (4 September).

In Moira, the agricultural and food processing business, Fane Valley plans to invest £4.5 million in a 5,500 square metre state-of-the-art office and industrial unit on the village’s Glenavy Road close to Soldierstown.

Once built, it will act a distribution and storage hub for the Fane Valley Group’s online sales of agriculture supplies and will supply its network of 17 retail stores across Northern Ireland.

The planning application was submitted by Belfast-based Clyde Shanks and is expected to create 25 full-time jobs.

Also recommended for approval is an application for nine modern industrial units on the Comber Road in Dundonald, which is expected to attract further investment to the area.

The new units, which have been identified for office and light industrial use, will offer both new and growing businesses modern manufacturing space. Parking for cars and bicycles as well as landscaping forms part of the overall scheme. 

Alderman Martin Gregg, Chair of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council’s Planning Committee said: “This is really positive news for Lisburn and Castlereagh and in particular, the villages of Dundonald and Moira.

“Both these projects will bring immediate employment and economic benefits to both areas and will help to continue to grow the council’s business prospects. By investing and developing new infrastructure we can help create more and better jobs for the people who live in Lisburn and Castlereagh.”