Work will begin early next month on a new €4 million retail development at Eyre Square Shopping Centre in Galway.

Managing agent Lambert Smith Hampton says the existing entrance to the centre, which fronts on to Eyre Square, will be demolished to make way for seven retail units ranging in size from 12 to 195sq m (129 to 3,000sq ft).

These units, expected to attract interest from retailers and restaurants, will be ready for handover to tenants later this year. Eyre Square Shopping Centre is anchored by Dunnes Stores and Penneys, and includes high-profile brands such as New Look and JD Sports. It incorporates more than 60 stores and has a 450-space multistorey car park. Recent footfall figures suggest the centre attracts 189,000 visitors per week.

Edmund Douglas, head of Dublin and Galway at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: "There is a lot of flexibility with this site and we will consider the amalgamation of two or more units."