Bids for the redevelopment of the site of the old Ballymun shopping centre, with up to 300 homes and the potential for a pub, are to be sought by Dublin City Council.
The demolition of the 50-year-old shopping centre was completed two years ago, more than 20 years after it was first planned as part of the regeneration of the suburb.
The council has divided the site into two lots. A front section, facing on to the main Ballymun Road, will be retained for a largely commercial development, focused on shopping. However, it is not envisaged this will be developed in the short term and could be integrated with the construction of a station for the Metrolink rail line due to open by 2034.
The council is seeking expressions of interest for the back section of the site, facing on to Sillogue Road, which it wants to be developed primarily for residential use. The site is earmarked for up to 300 apartments, as well as employment and/or educational use.
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The ground floors of the blocks should be publicly accessible, the council said, with potential uses including a pub, children’s play area, creche, gym, cafe and shops. New streets must be provided in the development which will link to the front site.
[ Bids to replace Ballymun shopping centre soughtOpens in new window ]
The redevelopment of the shopping centre, known as the Town Centre, was central to the 1997 Ballymun regeneration plan. In 2000, Treasury Holdings paid more than £6 million (€7.6 million) for a 53 per cent stake in the site, with the council retaining the remainder. The new complex, which was to be the main shopping facility for the suburb’s 18,000 residents, was due to be built in 2005.
However, it was not until 2009 that Treasury secured planning permission for Springcross, a vast €800 million development, which was to include an 11-screen cinema, bowling alley, public library, creche and restaurants, as well as more than 70 shops and offices.
It had intended to begin construction the following year, but the economic crash intervened and the town centre lands became part of Nama’s portfolio of loans before any development began. Most retailers in the centre subsequently shut and, in early 2014, it lost Tesco, its anchor tenant.
[ Councillors approve demolition of Ballymun shopping centreOpens in new window ]
In May 2014, the council reached agreement with Nama and its receivers to acquire the Treasury stake. Two years later the council sought compulsory purchase orders to gain clear possession of the site.
The final tenants left the shopping centre in summer 2018. However, it was not until the following year that the €1.9 million demolition contract was awarded, with the work to level the centre beginning in mid-2020 and finishing in 2021.
The council is describing its marketing of the site through estate agents DNG as a “soft launch” to ascertain interest, and has not yet ascribed a value to the lands.
