Plans for the first office block development at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, where up to 700 people are expected to be employed, were unveiled by Green Property yesterday.
The company's chief executive, Mr Stephen Vernon, said an international financial services company had agreed to purchase the 12-storey, 110,000 sq ft office block, which has an estimated cost of £12 million (€15.25 million). He said the identity of the US company could not be revealed because of a confidentiality clause.
With the IDA unaware of any plans for a new entrant to the State, the company is likely to be one already with operations here.
Mr Vernon said the location was attractive, being 10 minutes from the airport and with 70,000 people within 10 minutes of the centre.
"The M50 is very important and the market is very tight in town," Mr Vernon said.
Phase Two of the centre's retail park development - comprising 14 units in 190,000 sq ft of space - will be officially opened this weekend.
Mr Vernon added that about 400 people would also be employed following the development of 140,000 sq ft of retail warehouse space which, together with the office development, involves an investment of more than £30 million.
He said that, at 12 storeys, the office block was "a medium-rise" development. Office employment was the next phase of the development of the town. "We have lots of industrial employment and services employment," he said.
Green Property applied for planning permission for the office block, which is to be built between the shopping centre and the Navan road, on March 16th. It maintains the scheme fits with Fingal County Council's policy to encourage office development at new town centres and would act as a catalyst for further development in the area "which will extend the diversity of employment opportunities".
Mr Adrian Grimes, the Blanchardstown centre manager, said Fingal was the fastest-growing local authority area in Europe, and a visitor growth rate of 7 per cent was expected over the next three years for the three-year-old centre, which attracted 14 million people last year.
Green Property is also planning to build a 30,000 sq ft library and civic offices for Fingal County Council and a community arts centre.
