Sprucefield

Sprucefield is a major out-of-town retail park in the townland of Magherageery, County Down, Northern Ireland.

Sprucefield Centre was developed by Marks and Spencer on the site of Lisnagarvey Hockey Club and opened in March 1989.

[1] The proximity to the radio transmitter required the centre to be built as a Faraday cage to protect electronic equipment from the mast's electromagnetic field.

Three of four stores were destroyed, (MFI, Allied Maples and Texas), while the Marks and Spencer wing suffered only water damage.

In August 2007, Marks and Spencer opened a large homeware section (second largest in the UK after Manchester) on the Sprucefield site in what had been the adjoining Homebase shop.

In 2004 The Westfield Group acquired Stannifer's parent (Chelsfield) and took control of the company's shares in Sprucefield Park.

[10] In August 2023, The Range announced its intention to open a branch at the retail park in September, in the former Toys "R" Us unit.

In June 2004 the developers announced plans for a 220,000 sq ft (20,000 m2) John Lewis department store and 29 additional units on the site.

Despite objections from Lisburn retailers and the Belfast Chamber of Commerce the development was given approval in June 2005 by then Northern Ireland Environment Minister Jeff Rooker.

[13] Westfield and Snoddens' reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing planning permission in November 2006 after a new legal challenge by Central Craigavon Ltd., owners of the Rushmere Shopping Centre.

[15] In March 2014 Westfield agreed to sell Sprucefield Park to Intu Properties plc for £70 million.

Sprucefield Park complex