DCC to progress development of Ballymun Shopping Centre site

Dublin City Council is proposing to progress the development of the former site of the Ballmun Shopping Centre after a “successful” demolition.

The old centre, which was developed in the 1960s, was due to be demolished for two years before the works were fully completed last year.

In 2017, under the Ballymun Local Area Plan, Dublin City Council proposed to develop two sites which are located on the land.

Overall, the two sites combined would host around 300 residential units, and 41,000 sq.m of commercial and mixed use space.

Site A will be facing onto Main Street while Site B will be adjoining Main Street and facing onto Sillogue Road.

In a report presented to councillors at a North West Area Committee meeting last week, executive manager Paul Clegg said that: “The proposal for site 1A is to provide appropriate temporary uses in the short to medium term.

“The aim is to provide a local destination and community use; to bring people into the area from the immediate hinterland and to foster a positive image of the site, helping to reimagine the space in the minds of retailers and residents alike.”

The council says that it may pursue providing “innovative retail concepts” that “differentiate from the existing retail market.

“Pop-up food and/or craft markets alongside funfairs, ice-rinks etc. would create a draw and also provide important local community facilities in Ballymun.”

“It is proposed to seek Expressions of Interest from the market for temporary uses, with a particular focus on the summer months and the Christmas period.

“Depending on interest a pilot project is proposed in May/ June,” the report says.

Regarding site 1B, the council says it still plans to “develop this site for a mix of residential and commercial use, in keeping with the LAP.”

The council says the site will “provide mixed-use development with a focus on residential including employment and/or educational use.

“Ground floors shall provide publicly accessible uses, for example public house, children’s play area, crèche, gym, café, shops, etc.

“New streets shall be provided breaking up the site and developments shall have to provide an active interface with the public street, and in particular interact with the lands of site 1A.”

During the demolition process, Independent councillor for the area Noeleen Reilly said that “the failure to redevelop the shopping centre site has caused a lot of bad feeling in the area for a long number of years.

“This site should be the jewel in the crown of Ballymun,” she said.

“In my view, it should have been the first thing to happen in the regeneration of Ballymun.”