PLANs to develop a £1.5 million retail and services complex beside the Castledawson roundabout have been given the green light.
The designs include a service station, retail outlets, a café and ancillary areas with associated parking facilities along the main route between Derry and Belfast.
The proposed development is to be situated on land currently owned by Mid-Ulster Auctions and the announcement comes following a sustained period of development for the immediate area.
In October, the long awaited £45 million Magherafelt Bypass was opened. Following several legal hurdles, work on the new A6 dual carriageway from Toome to Castledawson also got under way at the end of the year.
In November, the expansion of the roundabout's own park and ride facility was also announced, following years of public outcry at the need for such a project.
Approval for the most recent development was granted by the Mid-Ulster District Council’s planning committee. Its chairman, Sinn Fein councillor Sean Clarke, said the proposed complex would be a 'big advantage' to motorists.
"The Castledawson Roundabout is very much the gateway to Mid-Ulster, as well as a focal point along the main Derry to Belfast route. These facilities are to be welcomed," he added.
Fellow Mid-Ulster councillor Martin Kearney echoed his colleague’s statement, saying that the new complex would "provide comfort breaks and more choice for travellers".
The finished development of the retail and services project could potentially create more than 100 jobs for the area.
