Work begins on Newbridge shopping centre

THE largest shopping centre planned for outside Dublin, the €175 million White Water Centre in Newbridge, was officially kicked off by former soccer international Niall Quinn yesterday.

Work has just started on the massive shopping scheme, on the site of the former Irish Ropes company in Newbridge.

The Kildare town, now by-passed and at the centre of massive population growth, is identified as a Primary Development Centre in the National Spatial Strategy. Growth of 40% is expected over the next five years from a current catchment of 159,000, and core population of 49,000.

Set to have three key anchor tenants and 50 other shops with a strong British retailing presence, the scheme will deliver 500 jobs to the Kildare area.

Developers behind the large project are Ballymore Properties and Mountbrook Homes.

White Water will comprise 350,000 sq ft of retail space, with 1,700 car parking spaces, 15,000 sq ft of commercial space, 85 houses and apartments and a six screen cineplex.

Site clearance and services provision has commenced, and design is by Henry J Lyons partnership, with selling/letting agents Hamilton Osborne King appointed.

Completion date is Spring 2006.

The White Water Centre “will offer the people of Kildare and the surrounding commuter counties a greater choice and variety in retail terms. It will be a very welcome addition to Newbridge town when it opens and I have no doubt that it will be a huge success” said soccer hero Niall who lives locally.

According to Sean Mulryan, chairman and MD of Ballymore Properties, “it will be fashion-focused offering the people in the Midlands region a real alternative to shopping in Dublin”.

MD of Mountbrook Homes, Sean Dunne, said “the quality of the centre and the mix of retailers will ensure that people from all of the surrounding counties will flock to White Water because there will be nothing else like it in the region”.