Planning & Development:Seven months after being refused planning permission by An Bord Pleanála for a €2 billion retail and residential complex in Bray, Co Wicklow, the promoters have restarted their campaign to get approval for the redevelopment of Bray's old golf club lands.
Pizarro Developments - a consortium led by Paddy Kelly, the McCormack family's Alanis Ltd, Equity Properties, Durkan New Homes, the Newlyn Group and Pierse Contracting - has lodged a new planning application for the scheme which will have even more shopping space than the original plan, as well as a primary and a secondary school, and a GAA football ground.
The site is between Castle Street and the Dart line and includes the old golf course bounded by the River Dargle. The development envisages a town centre core fronting the river and incorporating shops, cinemas, bars, hotel, restaurants, apartments and public plazas with a landscaped walkway along the river.
In the meantime, Sean Mulryan's Ballymore Developments has secured permission to proceed with a €100 million shopping and residential development in the centre of the town.
Pizarro's first plan was turned down by An Bord Pleanála last April because it ruled that the plan was premature pending the approval of the Bray flood defence scheme and also because of traffic planning in the town.
Since then, Bray Urban Council has produced a flood defence scheme while Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council is expected to lodge plans for a road widening scheme at the north end of the town later this year.
Pizarro's latest blueprint provides for an increase in retail space from 51,000sq m (548,959sq ft) to 57,000sq m (613,542sq ft) for what they say is "in response to anticipated anchor tenant requirements".
There will be four anchor traders and 100 units in all. Savills HOK and HWBC will be the retail agents.
The promoters have also sought permission for 951 apartments (up from 922) with layouts in line with the recent changes in size and facilities announced by the Department of the Environment. The scheme will include two pedestrian bridges, one from Main Street and the other leading to the Dart.
More than eight acres of open space will be provided out of the 33.4 acres available to the developers while a further 16.5 acres will be set aside for the GAA pitch and two schools. The primary school will cater for 400 pupils and the secondary school 450. Most of the parking will be provided below ground level.
Horan Keogan Ryan is the architect for the development while retail architect Building Design Partnership will work on the shopping element.
