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Environment Minister Alex Attwood has granted planning approval for a major retail development on the edge of Newtownards, County Down.

This planning application for a £50m development at the historic Castlebawn site has been in the planning system for seven years.

It is for a 20,000 square metre development.

It will straddle the Ards town centre boundary with one quarter of the retail floorspace within the town centre.

This application comes shortly after the minister also gave approval to extend the Ards shopping mall.

He says there is enough trading potential in the town for both developments.