Dunnes to anchor new Gorey centreDunnes Stores' aggressive expansion strategy is continuing to see the roll out of more branches around the country. Latest on the list is Gorey, Co Wexford, where An Bord Pleanála has just granted planning permission for an enclosed shopping centre of 12,000sq m (almost 130,000sq ft).
Dunnes will operate a supermarket and drapery store out of a unit of over 7,000sq m (75,348sq ft) and, according to James Quinlan of Bannon Commercial, there is already strong interest in 18 retail units, as well as restaurants and a crèche. A number of high street traders are understood to be in negotiations to take units. There will be 400 car-parking spaces at surface and basement level.
Half-acre seafront site in Bray to make over €3.5 million
Hassett estate agents is expecting strong interest in a superbly located redevelopment site of half an acre fronting Bray seafront. There is a double fronted five-bedroom Georgian house on the site with uninterrupted views along the coastline to Bray Head and Dalkey Island. The site has 45.5 metres (150ft) of frontage on to Strand Road and 36.3 metres (120ft) on to Convent Lane. It is one of the most interesting properties to reach the market in Bray in recent years and should make over €3.5 million.
Pizzeria franchise to open four outlets with six more planned
Godfathers Pizza, the pizzeria franchise specialising in takeaway and home delivery, is opening four more outlets to increase its number to 24. The latest venues will be the Omni shopping centre in Santry, Castlemill retail park in Balbriggan, the Coast Road in Clontarf and Parkway shopping centre in Limerick. Six further stores are planned for this year, according to its advisers CB Richard Ellis. Navan, Drogheda, Lucan and Cork are on the priority list at this stage.
Dame Street retail investment makes €2.45m at auction
Hamilton Osborne King has secured €2.45 million at auction for a retail premises at 32 Dame Street, Dublin 2. The five-storey building has a floor area of over 179sq m (1,927sq ft) including a ground floor that trades as a convenience store. The building is being sold with vacant possession.
The same agency got €2.3 million at auction for the Newsagent shop at 73 Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6. The three-storey building has a floor area of 171.25sq m (1,842sq ft) and was sold with vacant possession.
Retail units make close to €4m
Atisreal Harrington Bannon has secured close to €4 million for two retail units in Victoria House at Haddington Road in Dublin 4. Unit one has a floor area of 248sq m (2,669sq ft) and was sold with vacant possession. Unit two currently trades as a coffee shop and is leased under a 25-year lease from 1997 at a rent of €37,500 per annum.
€2m for retail and residential investment in Naas
Co Kildare estate agent Colm McEvoy is quoting a guide price of €2 million for a retail and residential investment at 33a North Main Street, Naas, Co Kildare, which goes to auction on April 20th. The ground floor shop of 74.5sq m (802sq ft) is let to a fashion retailer on a short lease at a rent of €33,000 per annum. There is residential accommodation on part of the ground as well as the first floor.
Legal firm relocating to docklands opens next week
Another Dublin legal firm is getting ready to move to the Dublin docklands. Beauchamps Solicitors is moving out of Dollard House on Wellington Quay after 30 years and, on April 19th, will open at Riverside Two at the junction of Sir John Rogerson's Quay and Cardiff Street. The six-storey waterfront block has a floor area of 7,432sq m (80,000sq ft) and was developed by a consortium led by the Kelly, McCormack, Flynn and Elliot families. Beauchamps plans to increase the present staff level of 125 by 40 per cent by the end of 2007.
Ten agricultural acres beside Rathcoole sell for €8.3m
Ten acres zoned for farming but located beside Rathcoole village in Co Dublin were sold at auction last week by JP&M Doyle for €8.3 million. The property has 180 metres of road frontage and is bounded on one side by housing and on another by lands already zoned for a residential scheme.
There were six bidders at the auction and, though the site went on the market at €6.6 million, the bidding continued until it hit €8.3 million. The selling agent said there is a "very good chance" that the land will be rezoned for housing when the next development plan is published in 2010.
