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THE AMERICAN OWNER of Blanchardstown shopping centre is planning a series of upgrades at the mall to address a “deficiency” of convenience stores and improve its “outdated” entrances.
Since US giant Blackstone Real Estate acquired the shopping centre in 2016, numerous planning applications have been lodged to alter and expand the centre.
According to documents filed with Fingal council, developments at rival outlets such as Liffey Valley, Dundrum and Swords have meant that “it is important that Blanchardstown Centre expands and improves its retail offer in order to retain its profile and attraction”.
Recent proposals lodged with the local authority show further developments at Blanchardstown’s central and ‘red mall’ entrances.
The major changes to the ‘red mall’ entrance include the partial demolition of the structure to create a new 2,066 sq m retail space and a small unit for a cafe.
According to the application lodged by Blanche Retail Nominee Limited, the retail unit will be occupied by a supermarket.
“The Blanchardstown Centre lost a major convenience retailer in 2006-2007 when Roches Stores was rebranded to Debenhams,” the firm said.
“Since this period there has been a deficiency in convenience retailing in the centre.”
Dunnes Stores and Marks & Spencer currently trade at the shopping centre, while there is also a Lidl in the nearby Westend shopping centre.
Blanche Retail Nominee Limited said the lack of large spaces in the property was a persistent problem.
“The existing shopping centre was constructed in 1996 and is arranged as an internal two-level mall,” the company said.
“It retains a strong mix of tenants, however as a product of its time, it has a high proportion of small shop units that cannot cater for larger modern fashion retailers that the town centre needs.”
‘Outdated’
A separate application to upgrade the current central mall entrance was lodged earlier this year and has already been approved by the council.
According to the plans, it will involve the demolition of the current structure to create a new cafe “at one of the less frequented entrances”.
“The entrance at present consists of a bulky and outdated structure and there is a lack of activity at the immediate entrance,” documents filed with the council said.
Two years ago, Blackstone acquired Blanchardstown Centre for €945 million, the most expensive single property transaction ever completed in Ireland.
The US property giant has already applied to build a new, 5,500 sq m development in order to create several large retail units on the lower and upper levels of the central mall.
This year, the shopping centre also got the all-clear from the council to create up to 38 commercial kiosk stalls inside the shopping hub.
Blanchardstown Centre’s owners originally requested permission for 54 kiosks, but the plans were scaled back following objections by retailer Dunnes Stores.
Written by Killian Woods and posted on Fora.ie
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Isn’t it amazing when an attempts to stab someone in a school .. the media is more concerned about telling that they are actually Irish rather than condemning the serious crime .
The footage tells a lot
@barry lyons: it’s sad that they have to..because there are certain people in this country who are claiming all crimes are made by immigrants and foreigners…these people have an agenda and are causing more trouble than anyone else
@William Slevin: If you bothered to read my post properly…you would have seen I was making the point that there are groups in this country continuously blaming immigrants and foreigners for all the crimes in this country…of course there is a percentage of foreigners committing crimes but not 100%. Try harder with your response next time
@William Slevin: ghettos like newtownmountkennedy in wicklow and Dundrum in tipperary you mean!!
@William Slevin: ah the usual blame the media response….there’s plenty of credible outlets that do good reporting on a variety of issues…just because you don’t like some of the facts doesn’t mean they’re not true
@William Slevin: haha..I’m not coherent……I’m finding it difficult to follow your posts with the bad grammar and lack of punctuation!! Or maybe it’s thee suoerior attitude you seem to have about everything and everyone Also you must have access to every news outlet to know what’s being reported and what’s not.
@William Slevin: just checking you were paying attention….now maybe if you could stop with the sweeping generalisations without any facts to back them up
@William Slevin: also I’m glad to see my dyslexia amuses you…I had a feeling you were one of those people who thinks they’re better than everyone else
@William Slevin: did you ever think that was why I was struggling to read your long winded badly punctuated posts? But no you’re the one who had to throw out insults…
@William Slevin: there you go using that nazi word again..seems like you’re obsessed with it…maybe that’s why you think you’re superior to other people
@William Slevin: I don’t have the opinion that I’m better than other people unlike you….you’re trying to make it look like you’re better than everyone and then you’re very passive aggressive with all your fake lols…
They don’t want foreign interference when it comes to their undemocratic regime, but they want that same foreign money to help with their floods. There’s no need to invade a country “spreading democracy” like the USA has, simply just let them be on their own. “Do you want money? Call for fair elections immediately and allow full access to international observers and accept the people’s vote”
The situation in Myanmar is dire.
Made worse by climate change caused by burning fossil fuels, greed and economical colonialism. For those that have no defence when disasters happen, all of us who live in comfort need to assess the impact of our lifestyle and start pulling together.
@William Slevin: yes yes, fossil fuel industry are verifiable saints and do nothing but good for the planet.
. . . Right?
They don’t need you to defend them, why do you bother?
The world should tell the Junta to take a hike. Unfortunately it will be ordinary people who will bear the brunt, not the tin pot despots.
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