Yesterday I welcomed the announcement today from Dublin City Council that it will acquire 100% of Ballymun Shopping Centre from NAMA and its receivers.
Dublin City Council already owned 47% of the Shopping Centre, and this decision today sees them take charge of the rest of the centre. This is excellent news for Ballymun and the wider area.
It makes complete sense for the Council to have control over the entire centre given their role in creating a viable retail heart for Ballymun.
The Council have put a retail site north of the current centre out to tender so they are best placed to find solutions for the centre as part of the overall development of Ballymun Main Street.
A new shopping centre has rightly been described as the final piece of the jigsaw for an improved Ballymun and its community. Local residents have waited far too long for the shopping facilities they deserve and today’s news brings that a step closer.
The future of Ballymun Shopping Centre must be looked at as part of a bigger picture of renewal, that includes looking at other vacant retail units around the community.
Ballymun’s role in regional economic development must not be overlooked either. It is ideally placed in north Dublin to take advantage of surrounding growth and new job opportunities. Dublin Airport is north Dublin’s largest employer, and there are continued jobs developments there and in our local university DCU.
It forms part of the Green Way Cleantech cluster and Fingal County Council also have plans for further development on lands close to IKEA.
All of these stakeholders need to recognise Ballymun as a pivotal spot for business and regional development.
As someone from the community, I will continue to work with Dublin City Council, the Ballymun 4 Business group and all other stakeholders to give the modern town of Ballymun the shopping facilities it needs and to bring new jobs to the area.
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