£6 million plan for Strabane Retail Park still in pipeline

A MAJOR £6million development of the former Strabane Retail Park by the German supermarket firm, Lidl, is set to proceed to construction.

Officials from Lidl have moved this week to reassure the people of the town that the ambitious development will be going ahead, despite rumours suggesting that work had been suspended.

Details about the major re-development were first unveiled nearly four years ago.

The Strabane Lidl store is currently among the most popular in the north, drawing shoppers from across the border and throughout the north-west.

A spokesperson for Lidl told the Chronicle that they have been working on the delivery of its ‘long-term strategic vision’ since acquiring the retail park in 2018.

“The major redevelopment for the retail park will secure a long successful and sustainable future, unlock its growth potential, create multiple retail opportunities to attract additional shoppers, and drive new local job creation,” they said.

“Following the announcement of a £26 million investment into the north-west region, Lidl Northern Ireland remains committed to realising new stores at Strabane Retail Park and Crescent Lind in Derry, in line with wider property expansion and regeneration plans across the region.

“Lidl are currently working on the execution of this substantial development project, and look forward to advancing construction plans at Strabane Retail Park in due course as part of our overarching strategic plan to deliver a pipeline of projects throughout the region to revitalise and expand Lidl’s existing store network.”

When the Retail Park was acquired in 2018, the Lidl NI director, Conor Boyle, said that Strabane was key to its strategic growth, investment and regeneration plans in Northern Ireland.

The firm employs almost 1,000 staff across 38 stores, and recently opened a brand new premises on the Dromore Road in Omagh.

The store in Strabane is currently based at Bradley Way in the town, but all that could be about to change when the ambitious new plans for the Retail Park are realised.