Balbriggan Shopping Centre

Moonbeam

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/commercialproperty/2010/0203/1224263638080.html

A LARGE new shopping centre under construction in the north Dublin town of Balbriggan is easily the most significant retail development moving ahead in the present difficult business climate.

The €80 million project will include the largest Tesco store in the Dublin area and is due to open for business early in 2011.

Millfield Shopping Centre will have a total retail area of 17,000sq m (almost 183,000sq ft), including 30 unit shops and the Tesco store which will extend over two internal street levels – its first such configuration in Ireland.

Around 300 workers are presently employed in the construction of the centre and a further 450 jobs are expected to be created when the centre opens for business.

Construction of the 952-space basement car park is almost complete and, as well as the high class shopping facilities, developer Parkway is to provide a broad mix of other facilities including two civic plazas, a medical centre, leisure complex and a large restaurant and café area.

The overall design has been handled by noted architects AD Wejchert, whose work in the retail area has included Blanchardstown Town Centre and the Gaiety Centre in Dublin’s South King Street, where the tenants include Zara, HM and Warehouse. The design takes full advantage of the location with a 110-metre curving glazed street forming the spine of the centre and culminating in large “lantern bays” with panoramic views over Balbriggan.

Stephen Murray of Jones Lang LaSalle, letting agents along with Savills, says Balbriggan was officially the fastest growing “large town” in Ireland but suffered from a lack of retail facilities.

For obvious reasons there is a strong demand for a centre such as Millfield which would act as the main shopping and services hub for the north Fingal region, he said. The excellent access from the improved local road network, including the link to the nearby M1, means less hassle for shoppers.

Murray says that the layout of the shopping centre has been significantly revised during the design stage to include a convenience shopping-led scheme with complementary branded retailers and fashion shopping rather than a comparison fashion-led scheme.

“These design revisions have borne fruit as it is the only major retail project in the country to have commenced construction in the past 12 months,” he says.

The letting agents say that Millfield has what they call a “rental tone” of the order of €500 per sq m (€46.45 per sq ft). Around two-thirds of the space is either contracted or in legals, according to Murray.

Units already committed are for a butchers, restaurant, dry cleaners, barbers, betting office, computer games and hair salon. Negotiations are also advanced with pharmacy operators and decisions are due shortly from a number of fashion retailers.

Murray says that with the shopping centre due to open in the spring of 2011 – by which time most commentators are expecting that an economic recovery will be well on the way – it seems set to be the first new scheme to benefit from a “proportionate and sustainable form of retail development”.

Eoineo

I'm surprised that it will open as late as Spring 2011. I remember when they were building Clare Hall and it opened within something like 14 months of commencement works. They've already put in half of the roundabout at the entrance to Westbrook so I think it will be only a short while before we can expect to negotiate another roundabout on the Naul Road.

Hopefully it will do something to alleviate the unemployment in the town.

PirateShampoo

Fingers crossed for a swimming pool in the lesuire complex.

LeoB

Eoineo wrote: »

Hopefully it will do something to alleviate the unemployment in the town.

I would like to thinkmost if not all jobs will be kept within a few miles of Balbriggan

Mona Lott

I wonder if Tesco will be a 24 hour jobbie?

Certainly agree on the local empolyment issue

LeoB

Mona Lott wrote: »

I wonder if Tesco will be a 24 hour jobbie?

Certainly agree on the local empolyment issue

Well lets hope the politicans are breaking the rules and applying pressure on Tesco to employ locals. Oh and maybe Fingal growers and producers will get a better deal.

RobFowl

Mixed feelings here.

I work in and run a business in Balbriggan and see the volume of vacant units on the main street every day.

This will make that worse but will be good for the town in the long term.

Rashers72

http://www.joneslanglasalle.ie/Lists/PropertiesList/Attachments/1980/Balbriggan%20Millfield%20Brochure_Web2.pdf

Moonbeam

RobFowl wrote: »

Mixed feelings here.

I work in and run a business in Balbriggan and see the volume of vacant units on the main street every day.

This will make that worse but will be good for the town in the long term.

Yeah it is disappointing to see empty units along the main st and so so many take aways.
Maybe the shopping centre will help though and companies that can not afford to open in the centre will open on the main st as people will be travelling ot the shopping centre anyway so there will be passing trade?
I dunno but if Drogheda didn't have the shopping centres I wouldn't have a clue what the main st looks like!

Lillylilly

Where will this shopping centre be situated?

Eoineo

Opposite the Naul Road entrance to the Westbrook estate. Just slightly towards the M1 from the graveyard.

HTH

Lillylilly

Ah, okay. Thanks. There's a lot of building going on down at the Castle Mill shops, I was worried it would be there. I know the signs say that they're building a leisure complex, pool and creche.

Helmet

Lillylilly wrote: »

Ah, okay. Thanks. There's a lot of building going on down at the Castle Mill shops, I was worried it would be there. I know the signs say that they're building a leisure complex, pool and creche.

That project is going to be the brand spanking new building for the Educate Together, long time coming, can't wait for it to open in May!!!

ParkRunner

Helmet wrote: »

That project is going to be the brand spanking new building for the Educate Together, long time coming, can't wait for it to open in May!!!

Will all the facilities be open in May do you know? A leisure centre and swimming pool would be great to have around Balbriggan.

As for the other shopping centre I just wonder is there enough demand out there for a huge shopping centre in Balbriggan, with centres already in Swords, Clarehall, Drogheda and plenty of supermarkets around the town..Tescos (albeit a small one), Super Value, Dunnes, Lidl etc.

Helmet

EF wrote: »

Will all the facilities be open in May do you know? A leisure centre and swimming pool would be great to have around Balbriggan.
.

It's just the school. As far as I know the site of the current temporary buildings for Educate Together is to be developed into the leisure centre.

rccaulfield

Yea at the castle mill shopping centre they are building the new educate together school and a sign is up on the existing site basically advertising a site for a swimming pool and leisure centre- it appears no develops are biting at the moment!
Didn't notice a roundabout anywhere being built at the graveyard? Also- are they going to build a direct road toward the castle mill from the Naul rd? Traffic will be mental!

Joey the lips

I think that this can do nothing but good for balbriggan. I worked for a business in Balbriggan and we closed. We noticed the biggest problem with balbriggan is not that business does not locate there its that no one spends there.

For balbriggan to survive business wise it needs to draw people in and where this is planned just off the motorway is perfect

Eoineo

rccaulfield wrote: »

Also- are they going to build a direct road toward the castle mill from the Naul rd? Traffic will be mental!

IIRC there was originally meant to be a road built along that route but it was ditched. Fingal CoCo would be the place to start asking if you're really interested.

I think that there is a demand for a large supermarket in the area. Most people with families that I know of would travel either up to Drogheda or down to Swords to do a large grocery shop.

Láidir

The employment this could bring to the town is promising but talking to a few of the small businesses around town, they are really worried that this thing could finish them. I live just down the road from it and its a real eyesore when i go to work every morning and really think the road by Georges school is still far too narrow and the roundabout they built is pathetic. The volume of traffic is a risk to the school children aswell. Anyway just my thoughts hopefully it does a greater good at little cost.

sNarah

Láidir wrote: »

The employment this could bring to the town is promising but talking to a few of the small businesses around town, they are really worried that this thing could finish them. I live just down the road from it and its a real eyesore when i go to work every morning and really think the road by Georges school is still far too narrow and the roundabout they built is pathetic. The volume of traffic is a risk to the school children aswell. Anyway just my thoughts hopefully it does a greater good at little cost.

the road up to just before the school has been seriously broadened and I noticed a road into the centre has been put in there (just a wee bit before the roundabout) so hopefully that's where the entrance will be.

Now, if I was a shopkeeper in the brixter, I would defo be looking at moving over to Millfield. Echo Clothing and Eagleton Shoes could do a serious amount of business over there.

I see the council now also has introduced a HALF AND HOUR free parking in the town (vs. free parking at Millfield) which is a frigging joke. It's ridiculing the request in the first place... an insult even!

Absurdum

couple of recent articles:

http://www.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/millfield-shopping-centre-to-open-in-april-2542449.html

MILLFIELD Shopping centre Balbriggan is the only major shopping centre to start construction in Ireland in the last two years and is due to open in April.

Being built at a cost of €50m, it will accommodate 30 stores which will employ about 450 people.

Picture shows Kevin McCormack of the developer Parkway Properties, with Tony Keohane, chief executive, Tesco Ireland, examining building progress.

Tesco Ireland sources a large proportion of their fresh vegetables from growers in North County Dublin . Estate agents Savills are quoting around €400 per sqm for retail rents in the centre depending on size and location

http://www.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/tenants-are-secured-for-food-court-at-millfield-2521824.html

Parkway Properties has secured a number of tenants for the food court at the Millfield Centre, a new shopping centre which is due to open in Balbriggan at Easter.

Tesco are currently fitting out what will be their largest store in Dublin, covering a total of 10,207sqm. Overall the scheme features 30 retail units over a two-level mall and a small number of external units and about two thirds of all units have been reserved.

Joint letting agents Savills and Jones Lang laSalle have announced that the new lettings for the centre's food court are Graham O'Sullivan, BB's Coffee and Muffins and O'Brien's Sandwich Bar.

Graham O'Sullivan is taking 261sqm, the largest of the four units. The agents are quoting €485 per sqm for the units.

BB's are planning to open with their new contemporary fit out in a unit measuring c. 175sqm.

O'Brien's Sandwich bars, always a popular offering within a food court, will open in a unit measuring c. 133sqm

And of course, McDonald's will be gracing us with their presence as well.

Apparently, the R122 Naul Road will be closed next week as well, no mention of it on FingalCoCo website though.

ongarboy

Yesterday's Sunday Business Post have said that Easons and Carphone Warehouse have signed up for Millfield also. Eason's will be a great addition to the town!

Eoineo

Bye bye local traders.

dead air

That's great news if Easons is going in. I hope that the town centre doesn't suffer too much.

Does anyone know what will happen to the old Balbriggan Shopping Centre?

MonkeyDoo

I would shop more on the main street only for those darn parking machines on the main street. Also as a commuter most shops on main street are closed when need to shop.

Kintarō Hattori

dead air wrote: »

That's great news if Easons is going in. I hope that the town centre doesn't suffer too much.

Does anyone know what will happen to the old Balbriggan Shopping Centre?

Where's this?

RobFowl

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Where's this?

It's where the present Tesco's is. Opposite De Bruns on Drogheda street with the Car park opening onto high street.

Kintarō Hattori

RobFowl wrote: »

It's where the present Tesco's is. Opposite De Bruns on Drogheda street with the Car park opening onto high street.

Ah yes I always forget about the shops to the side. It's a horrible horrible place........... or has it changed in the 6 years or so since I've been there?

RobFowl

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Ah yes I always forget about the shops to the side. It's a horrible horrible place........... or has it changed in the 6 years or so since I've been there?

It has, Now all the shop units downstairs are now empty .........

Eoineo

Actually the chemists moved back around the corner there about a month or so ago. They're still open beside Xtra-vision too.

I'm pretty sure the whole shopping centre/hotel belongs to the Moriarty Group - who also own SuperValu. The hotel definitely does. Tesco is a tenant in there, they don't own it. I can't see them moving to redesign it anytime soon though.

Morgans

Think the chemist moving back in there was temporary.

Bluetonic

Eoineo wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the whole shopping centre/hotel belongs to the Moriarty Group - who also own SuperValu.

The Shopping Centre has nothing to do with Moriarty, it is owned by an individual and has been for pretty much all it's existence since it opened where Quinnsworth and then Tesco were/are the main paying tenant (as you say). Planning permission was granted a number of years back to develop from the car park up and all around the roof top units so there is a precedence if this planning has lapsed. The planning was mostly residential.

No doubt we'll hear voices all around the town over the next number of months about how Millfield is destroying the town centre. I'm going to preempt this by saying that firstly the BSC is a **** hole who is the master of it's own destiny, and secondly the chemists, fast food outlets, bookmakers and convenience stores which litter the main street have made hay while the sun shone so a bit of competition will do them no harm, I'm sure they have made handsome profits over the years.

Eoineo

Thanks Bluetonic.

I admit that it will be refreshing to be able to go shopping in the Balbriggan area in areas that are accessible. That has been a major bugbear of mine for a long time. Many shops aren't accessible with buggies or wheelchairs (more important); pavements are bocket;, little or no automatic doors; massive steps to get in/out of stores; cluttered aisles etc.

As I said earlier, many families travel outside of Balbriggan for their grocery & other shopping. It will be a change to see people travelling into Balbriggan instead.

The difficulty is that with the main drag becoming more and more derelict in places and entertainment/takeaway focussed in others, it is becoming an attraction for anti-social behaviour. If there were thriving businesses down the town it would encourage less of this and create more of a "buzz" and a sense of community which can sometimes be lacking.

Eoineo

The hubby has spotted signs saying that the supermarket will open on 11 April next.

Corsendonk

Eoineo wrote: »

The hubby has spotted signs saying that the supermarket will open on 11 April next.

It must be delayed my inside source told me March 26th last month.

Vico1612

Tesco staff in town told me that the shop was closing on 28th and reopening on 30th in Millfield.

Corsendonk

Vico1612 wrote: »

Tesco staff in town told me that the shop was closing on 28th and reopening on 30th in Millfield.

You might be right, they be keen to get the supermarket up and running before the rest of the centre. I don't suppose they will keep an Express store in the main street?

rpurfield

Corsendonk wrote: »

You might be right, they be keen to get the supermarket up and running before the rest of the centre. I don't suppose they will keep an Express store in the main street?

no its defo closing down

Sparky84

Was driving behind the local "Town Bus" 104 which had a big sign on it saying Tesco now open.

Swordsdave

Think Aldi to take over old tesco in town centre so i heard?

Eoineo

It's very unusual for Aldi to take on an existing premises. Are you sure about that?

dead air

Looks like the millfield website has been recently updated.

http://millfieldbalbriggan.com/

Says that the centre is opening on April 11th.

Eoineo

It says the centre is opening on 11th of April. Tesco may be opening sooner. I'd be keeping an eye on the entrances over the next week. If the shop down the town is closing tomorrow as another poster mentioned there is a chance that the Supermarket itself may open to customers by the end of the coming week.

Corsendonk

Eoineo wrote: »

It says the centre is opening on 11th of April. Tesco may be opening sooner. I'd be keeping an eye on the entrances over the next week. If the shop down the town is closing tomorrow as another poster mentioned there is a chance that the Supermarket itself may open to customers by the end of the coming week.

Might be Monday then, my tip off said the 26th and they cant afford to miss a few days trade by not having a Tesco in Balbriggan.

rpurfield

the tesco is defo opened the tenth,thats a fact as they say

Bluetonic

rpurfield wrote: »

the tesco is defo opened the tenth,thats a fact as they say

Indeed.

They are starting to pack out the non perishables from tomorrow

Fingleberries

Is there any word on what other shops will be available in the new Centre? The posters only list
- Tesco (obviously)
- Easons
- Holland and Barrett
- Gamestop
- McDonalds

And the rather nebulous "Much, much more". Anything else on the grapevine? The Millfield web site is still the one for the Estate Agents / Construction company.

ac20

Fingleberries wrote: »

Is there any word on what other shops will be available in the new Centre? The posters only list
- Tesco (obviously)
- Easons
- Holland and Barrett
- Gamestop
- McDonalds

And the rather nebulous "Much, much more". Anything else on the grapevine? The Millfield web site is still the one for the Estate Agents / Construction company.

I read that the food court will have an O Briens Sandwich Bar, BB Muffins and a Graham O Sullivan restaurant

Bluetonic

ac20 wrote: »

I read that the food court will have an O Briens Sandwich Bar, BB Muffins and a Graham O Sullivan restaurant

Yes the article is on post #21

Corsendonk

ac20 wrote: »

I read that the food court will have an O Briens Sandwich Bar, BB Muffins and a Graham O Sullivan restaurant

Very much like the Clarehall format it seems.

Fingleberries

Corsendonk wrote: »

Very much like the Clarehall format it seems.

Hmm - Very little to attract custom outside of the massive Tesco, really.