TESCO has confirmed plans to move its Dunmurry supermarket to Makro’s major retail warehouse site next to the M1.
The grocery giant has notified Belfast City Council of the bid, which involves a new 43,000 sq ft store in the building used by the cash-and-carry wholesaler.
Tesco is also planning to build a new petrol filling station at the site on the outskirts of Belfast.
Under the proposal, Makro would continue to trade from the site.
Makro has been owned by the Booker Group since 2012.
Booker was in turn acquired by Tesco in a £3.7 billion deal in early 2017.
A proposal of application notice (PAN), submitted to Belfast City Council in recent days, indicates the new supermarket would be created by sub-dividing the existing retail warehouse at Kingsway.
Tesco has confirmed that the lease on its current store at Kingsway Shopping Centre in Dunmurry is coming to an end in 2027.
“We are really proud to be part of the Dunmurry community and remain committed to serving our local customers,” said a spokesperson for the retailer.
“That is why we are actively looking to open a brand new, slightly bigger modern Tesco Superstore in the immediate area.
“This will allow us to continue to offer exceptional service, create jobs and a provide a wide range of products for customers in a purpose-built new store.”
Tesco said that subject to planning permission, it will make the move in 2027.
The current Dunmurry store will continue to trade until then.
The PAN process typically involves a period of community consultation, ahead the submission of a full planning application. That’s likely to happen next year.
A community consultation website has already gone live at dunmurrystore.com.
Two events are also due to take place on January 23 and March 6, where members of the public will be able to ask questions. The venue has not yet been confirmed.
The grocery giant, which first entered the Northern Ireland market in 1995 by acquiring home-grown retailer Stewarts, now has more than 50 stores.
Earlier this week, Tesco announced a multi-million-pound revamp of nearly half its stores in the north.
