2026:008 - CARRICKFERGUS: Lidl, Antrim

The proposed development is located to the west of Carrickfergus, approximately 1 km from the historic core settlement of the town. It lies in an archaeologically sensitive area with the ecclesiastic site of the former Woodburn Abbey (ANT 054:031) located to the northeast.

The proposed development consists of the demolition of an existing discount supermarket, erection of replacement discount supermarket and drive through cafe, provision of accesses, landscaping and associated site works.

In their consideration of previous planning applications in the vicinity, HED Historic Monuments noted that the application site was adjacent to the medieval ecclesiastical site Woodburn Abbey and requested an archaeological evaluation.

A total of 6 archaeological test trenches were opened on 12 and 13 January 2026. The results of the present investigation, as with the results of the four other investigations previously undertaken across the site, confirmed that nothing of archaeological interest associated with Woodburn Abbey survived, with the only archaeology of note which might survive in the vicinity might be pockets of raised beach material with the possibility of some fragments of worked flint surviving therein.