Dunnes Stores has been given the green light to redevelop Crumlin Shopping Centre by Dublin City Council, RTÉ reported on Friday.
The new ‘landmark’ shopping centre is expected to create up to 450 jobs for the Dublin 12 area.
Dublin City Council approved the project after Dunnes’ firm, Better Value UC, lodged revised plans earlier this year.
The New Centre
The upgraded centre will include a new anchor unit for Dunnes Stores, a food market, a cafe, and a medical centre, with 150-200 jobs created during the construction phase.
Construction – which will involve the demolition of the current dilapidated shopping centre – is expected to last 18 to 24 months.
A planning report from the KPMG Future Analytics research consultancy noted that the revised scheme ‘will regenerate the area’.
It noted, ‘[The centre will become] the focal point of the community and act as a catalyst for further redevelopment of the area.’
The consultants also noted that the project will deliver ‘a multi-million euro investment in the area’.
A retail impact statement lodged with the scheme states that the annual turnover from the net increase in retail floor space will be €62.9 million for 2027.
The Site
Crumlin Shopping Centre originally opened in 1974, though now it is largely vacant, apart from the Dunnes Stores anchor unit.
An environmental impact assessment report (EIAR) states that the current shopping centre is dilapidated and attracts antisocial behaviour.
It adds that, when operational, ‘[The site] will be transformed into a welcoming and inviting shopping centre with high quality retail provision designed to serve the Crumlin and surrounding areas for years to come.’
The report ends by noting that the redevelopment will address the underutilisation and vacancy issues facing the site and create further opportunities in the area.
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