Decision Due On The Food Warehouse For Coleraine

Councillors are set to decide next week whether to allow The  Food Warehouse supermarket to open at Coleraine’s Riverside Regional Centre.

The proposal, submitted by Magmel Ltd, will go before the Planning Committee on 22 October 2025. It seeks a variation of an existing planning condition to allow for the sale of convenience goods from Unit 2, which would facilitate the trading of The Food Warehouse from the site. The unit was previously occupied by Argos.

Planning officers have recommended approval, but only on the basis of a legal agreement requiring the Iceland store in Coleraine town centre, situated on Railway Road, to remain open for at least five years after the new outlet begins trading. The measure is intended to safeguard the town centre’s vitality and prevent trade being diverted to the edge of town.

According to the committee report, the £1.5 million investment would create up to 50 retail jobs and 30 construction roles. No public objections have been lodged.

Planning officials concluded that, with the legal agreement in place, the development would not cause significant harm to Coleraine’s town centre and that there is sufficient capacity in the local retail market.

If approved, the Food Warehouse would join other major retailers at the Riverside Centre, south of the town, in what is viewed as a continuing evolution of Coleraine’s retail landscape.

Earlier this year, we were the first to reveal The Food Warehouse’s intention to open in Coleraine.

The Food Warehouse concept, introduced in 2014, transforms the conventional shopping experience by offering spacious, warehouse-style outlets. These stores—typically twice the size of a standard Iceland branch—feature wide aisles and an extensive range of products, including larger pack sizes designed to deliver enhanced value for money.