RetailMarket: The launch of South Gate - a new €120 million district centre for Drogheda - gets underway today.
The district shopping centre - in south Drogheda on the N1 Dublin road - has secured Dunnes Stores as anchor tenant and will serve the growing population of east Meath.
Construction of the scheme is advancing with a planned opening in mid-November 2008. The open streetscape centre will include 24 retail units, a bar, restaurants, coffee shops, medical centre and a gym. Units will range in size from 38sq m (409sq ft) to 349sq m (3,757sq ft).
"There has been significant interest from a wide variety of potential occupiers with deals agreed on a number of units, even at this early stage. South Gate will be one of the largest mixed-use developments opening in the country in 2008," says Stephen Murray of Jones Lang LaSalle whose retail agency is leasing the units.
The 17,000sq m (182,986sq ft) development is being built by Rockmill Ltd, a company controlled by Shannon Homes (Drogheda) Ltd, which is owned by Phil Reilly.
As well as the shopping facilities, the development will include 5,000sq m (54,000sq ft) of office space, which is capable of sub-division, a medical centre, and gym plus six own-door office units. There will be free car-parking for over 700 cars.
A local area plan, due to be adopted shortly, will allow over 8,000 new residential units to be built to the east and west of South Gate. Also included is the provision of the M1/N1 link road, as well as provision for employment related uses on lands to the east.
Planning permission has been granted for two new schools in the area and Drogheda Rugby Club is planning to build a €10 million sports facility in the area.
"The location of South Gate, fronting onto the N1, combined with the proposed M1/N1 link road directly opposite the development means it will be one of the most accessible sites in the region. The 700 free customer car spaces can compare with any of the main shopping centres around the country, combined with Dunnes Stores as the anchor in the development will all go to making the area a great place in which to shop, work and live," Reilly says.
The centre is being built by John Sisk & Sons.
