Construction company Dunloe House is to commence work on a £23 million 227,500 sq ft project, comprising a hotel, apartments, conference centre, a multi-purpose leisure area and shopping units in Tralee next year.
The project was initiated by Monarch Properties, which Dunloe subsumed earlier this year, and yesterday Dunloe signed an agreement to acquire the 20 acre site from Tralee Urban District Council.
In the meantime, Blackpool Developments has lodged a planning application for a major new shopping centre on a site between Commons Road and Thomas Davis Street in Cork.
The proposed centre includes a supermarket occupying about 65,000 sq ft, plus about 20 shop units and car parking for more than 500 cars. The estimated cost of the development is £10 million and approximately 200 people will be employed, if planning permission is granted.
Blackpool Developments, chaired by Mr Clayton Love junior, has developed several shopping centres in Cork, including Douglas in 1971, Wilton in 1979 and Douglas Court in 1989.
The agreement between Dunloe House and Tralee UDC requires Dunloe to take up its option on the site, located between Ballymullen and the Aqua Dome, before December 1st, 1998. Once this option is exercised, Dunloe must pay £640,000 to the Town Council.
Dunloe House chairman, Mr Noel Smyth says his company is "very excited" about the development.
"The only way we can make serious money is by getting all our enabling works done within 12 months. At the moment, September 1st is the latest date we will be on site.
"And, what we are saying is that we will be good for the whole business of Tralee town. The more people that are coming into Tralee, the more shoppers you will get," he stated, denying it would harm existing businesses.
Town council chairman, Mr Johnny Wall, described the project as an important step in Tralee's on-going development and he said everyone wanted to see more jobs coming into the town.
Green Property plc is to commence site work before Christmas on a £10 million Killarney outlet centre. Green Property plc will begin the main construction work in January next.
