BALLYMUN RESIDENTS NEED CLARITY ON FUTURE OF SHOPPING CENTRE

Today I called on all stakeholders involved in Ballymun Shopping Centre to bring forward new plans after Tesco announced it would close its store in Ballymun Shopping Centre on 27th April. 

Tesco in Ballymun Shopping Centre

Local residents have known for some time that Tesco will eventually be closing, however, it still comes as a shock now that the date has been announced. 

First of all, it is welcome news that all 52 employees in Tesco will keep their jobs and be reassigned to other stores. This is hugely important for local employment, which has begun to recover in the last two years in line with the rest of the country.

The loss of Tesco to the shopping centre will of course be felt by local residents who rely on a supermarket in the shopping centre. It will also affect other local businesses in the centre who benefit from an anchor tenant like Tesco being there.

Unfortunately, the original plans for the site were stalled and the shopping centre site is now in NAMA. Since being elected, I have been in regular contact with NAMA and BRL in relation to this site and had met with the previous owners, Treasury Holdings, to get the ball rolling again on this project.

Original Plans for Ballymun Town Centre - Treasury Holdings 

I have provided local residents with regular updates on plans for the centre, particularly when a new plan was agreed between BRL, NAMA and Dublin City Council, for a 3 phase redevelopment last year.

These stakeholders now urgently need to come together and push forward with plans for Ballymun Main Street. 

As someone from the community, I will continue to work with all involved to give Ballymun Main Street the shopping facilities it needs and to bring new jobs to the area.