The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has welcomed the appointment of Mark H Durkan MLA as DOE Minister and hailed the contribution of outgoing Minister Alex Attwood MLA.
NIIRTA Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said: “Alex Attwood made a great contribution to supporting local town centres in his time as Minister by rejecting many unsustainable out of town superstore applications. He was a strong supporter of town centres and our independent retail sector”
“Mark H Durkan must build upon his predecessor’s contribution and stand up for our local town centres and ensure we have a new planning policy which supports their future growth”
“With Northern Ireland having the worst Town Centre Shop Vacancy rate in the UK of nearly one in four shops vacant, he must ensure that his department plays a key role in tackling this problem”
“We look forward to working with Mark in his new role and wish him every success”
