€500m expansion plan for ‘recession-proof’ Liffey Valley

A €500 million expansion at Dublin’s Liffey Valley Shopping Centre is on the cards — and will be built once planning permission is granted, irrespective of the recession.

That’s according to developer Owen O’Callaghan of Barkhill, which he operates jointly with British property giant Grosvenor.

Barkhill Ltd this week is lodging a planning application for a further 700,000sq ft expansion (including its first foodstore/supermarket) of the Liffey Valley complex to bring it to full town centre status, with 1.2 million sq ft of development when delivered.

Such a €500m investment, to include civic facilities, would bring 4,000 jobs, half of them during construction and the other half in the finished product, it is claimed. If approved, work would start in early-2010, and complete in 2013. “Liffey Valley — and I shouldn’t say this — is almost recession-proof, it is the best and busiest, and the most profitable for its traders, ahead of all the rest in the Dublin area,” declared Mr O’Callaghan, who is also behind a €500m retail development in Cork city, due for completion in late 2009.

Meanwhile, a third major segment at Liffey Valley is further off in the pipeline, beyond 2014, while a LUAS line running from Lucan to the city centre is still on the development track, added Mr O’Callaghan. Planning and development at the west Dublin location, originally called Quarryvale, dates back to 1988, and recent N4/M50 junction improvement have eased traffic congestion at the Liffey Valley entrance, its developer added.

This week’s planning application follows the adoption of a Liffey Valley Local Area Plan.

Incorporating the existing centre, Liffey Valley Town Centre will add a 62,000sq m (c 700,00sq ft) mixed-use expansion (predominantly retail), a large foodstore, two anchor department stores and 60 more shop units. A 2,100 car-parking facility will be added.

The new town centre will include an 8,000sq m civic square with a multi- use civic centre, a public library, Fás office and citizens advice bureau.

“The civic square will form a focus for the community where they can avail of excellent facilities and enjoy dining, leisure, entertainment, outdoor and cultural events” said Denis O’Connell, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre manager.