Rival developers appeal Balbriggan shopping centre

TWO DEVELOPERS looking to build large mixed-use developments in Balbriggan, Co Dublin have appealed planning permission for the first phase of a Liffey Valley-style scheme for the town by another developer, Parkway Partnership.

The Parkway Partnership - whose directors are Oliver and Lisa Carey - is proposing a shopping centre as part of a larger development on a 254-acre site beside the Naul Road.

This would have an anchor store and 28 retail units, six office units, a health and fitness centre, medial centre, restaurant and foodcourt.

The shopping centre would be accessed via a glazed internal street and the anchor store would be 9,640sq m (103,764sq ft).

In his appeal to An Bord Pleanála, Gary Brown of the De Brun Group, who owns a two-acre site at Bridge Street in the centre of Balbriggan, says he is not making "a business or commercial objection" to Parkway's retail proposal but says it conflicts "with many key policies and objectives for Balbriggan set out in statutory plans".

Brown, who owns the De Brun pub, earlier this year announced his intention to submit a planning application by the summer for an €80 million 10,000sq m (107,639sq ft) shopping, office, commercial/financial and residential development backing onto Balbriggan Town Park.

He says he has no objection in principle to other shopping centres "but wishes to emphasise that the substantial investment required for a town centre development may be jeopardised or put on hold as there is not at the present time sufficient catchment for two substantial additions to the shopping centre population of Balbriggan".

He argues the Parkway Development is not in the town centre, and says the attractiveness of the town centre as a retail destination has been "compromised over the years by the poor physical environment, totally inadequate footpaths and vacant properties". He says the proposed development would further detract from the core by drawing shoppers away.

Another developer, Millbank Developments, has also appealed the Parkway development saying it constitutes "unsustainable greenfield development" and would set a precedent "as the first large scale out of centre shopping centre in the hinterland of the greater Dublin area".

Earlier this year Millbank Developments was refused planning permission by Fingal County Council to build a mixed-use urban development on a site of 2.2 acres beside Mill Walk in Balbriggan, Co Dublin.

The proposal was for a 26,778sq m (288,236sq ft) building ranging from three to 10 storeys with 41 retail units arranged around an internal mall and it would also have included offices, a medial centre and 49 residential units.