Planning committees in Belfast and Mid and East Antrim have approved separate applications for new Lidl food stores and residential developments.

Belfast City Council's Planning Committee has given the go-ahead for two new housing schemes in west Belfast. One project will see two three-storey apartment blocks with 36 social homes built near the Monagh By-pass, along with seven business or light industrial units. The other will deliver 29 dwellings, six of which are to be affordable housing, on land north of Barnfield Road and south of Mount Eagles Avenue.

The committee also approved demolition of existing commercial units at Kingsway in Dunmurry to make way for a 2,300 square metre Lidl store. The site currently houses a Tesco supermarket and five smaller retail units. The approved plans include a revised car park layout, access changes on Dunmurry Lane, and landscaping.

Councillor Ryan Murphy, who chairs the planning committee, said the approvals provide much-needed housing and support the economy. He noted the new Lidl store will create jobs and offer more choice for residents. Murphy said the decisions align with the Belfast Agenda, the city's community plan.

Separately, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has granted permission for a larger Lidl store and a drive-through cafe in Carrickfergus. The existing store on the site will be demolished and replaced with a bigger building. The new store will have a gross floor area of 2,563 square metres, while the cafe will be 162 square metres. This is an increase from the current store's 1,518 square metres, but the cafe is smaller than a previously approved plan for a 292 square metre drive-through.

A planning officer told the committee that the development responds to increased customer demand and will provide wider aisles for better accessibility. The officer said the impact on town centre retail turnover was estimated at two to three per cent, which was not considered significant. Sainsbury's and Tesco were identified as the retailers most likely to face competitive effects.

Planning consultant Dermot Monaghan said Lidl operates 44 stores in Northern Ireland and employs 1,500 people. He noted the current Carrickfergus store is too small for current demand and that the new development will support 40 jobs, including 18 new roles and 20 posts in the drive-through cafe.

Coast Road DUP Councillor Angela Smyth expressed concern about the drive-through cafe's impact on small cafes in the town centre. However, the application was approved unanimously by the committee.