The North's Environment Minister has refused planning permission for a new 4,200sq m supermarket in Banbridge, which British chain Asda claimed could have created 200 jobs, in favour of supporting its town centre, writes Francess McDonnell.

Alex Attwood said he had taken the decision to help Banbridge town centre to “continue trading well in ongoing difficult times”.

The proposed Asda supermarket had sparked a major debate in the local community because it would have been located in a predominately residential area.

The Environment Minister agreed that a large foodstore with 300 car-parking spaces would have been “harmful to the established character and townscape” of the area.

Banbridge has in recent years been at the heart of a major campaign to promote “in-town” developments across Northern Ireland as opposed to new out-of-town retail projects.

The North’s previous Environment Minister had granted planning permission to the proposed new Tesco store at Bridgewater Park.