FINGLAS Village Centre, which was bought for
?¬11 million almost 10 years ago, has been put back on the market with a reported price tag of
?¬4 million.
It was hoped that the purchase of the village centre back in 2003 by three high-profile investors would breathe new life into the run-down village, which was becoming increasingly forgotten by developers and shoppers alike.
However, after many years of false hope, the plan for a large-scale redevelopment to reinvigorate the village is now well and truly dead in the water.
Planning permission that was sought and approved for the site in 2004 has since expired.
Nine years later and it’s back to the drawing board as a receiver appointed to Marumba Properties, has put Finglas Village Centre back on the market.
It’s understood that the site, which consists of 40 retail units, two office buildings, a library, art studio and 135 surface car-parking spaces is likely to be valued this time round at e4 million.
Despite almost a decade of disappointment local business people and politicians haven’t lost hope.
Declan Moloney, who has owned a business in Finglas for 20 years (he previously owned a music store called the Music Box but now owns Boxx Barber Shop) believes the village will survive.
“There’s no doubt that the village and businesses are struggling to stay alive,
? he told Northside People.
“There’s no vibrancy and much of the business has been taken by global supermarkets that are located in industrial centres just outside Finglas.
“But in saying that I haven’t lost faith in a redevelopment of the village centre and the future of the village itself.
“Hopefully some new people with good ideas and a few bob will buy the centre and make something good of it.
“I never really thought anything would come of the last plans because of the amount of games that were being played over the years.
?
Local councillor Dessie Ellis (SF) said he would be glad to see somebody else
“take up the mantle and run with the regeneration of the village
?.
“I was always sceptical of the plan that had been put forward but I wanted to remain as positive as I could in the hope that there would be some movement,
? he explained.
“The village has a lot of potential and it shouldn’t have been allowed to become so run down.
“It’s a sign of bad planning over the years that many supermarkets were given permission to be located on the outskirts of the village, which was bound to give shoppers less of a reason to come into the village to shop in local shops.
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