€75m Douglas shopping centre gets green light

A PROPOSED €75 million redevelopment of Douglas Village Shopping Centre has been given the green light by county planners.

The revamping of the country’s second oldest shopping centre will include the demolition, refurbishment and sub-division of part of the existing centre and a new 15,341sq metre floor area extension.

It provides for the relocation of the anchor shop Tesco as well as new retail units, restaurants, a bank, a library, post office, offices, a leisure centre and a three-tier multi-storey car park.

The redevelopment will also include the building of a new east-west link road adjacent to the existing link road (N25) and new external plaza areas.

The decision to grant planning permission to developers Canmount follows a two-and-a-half year battle with a number of local residents who objected to the project.

A revised application was submitted in February to appease objectors. A total of 28 conditions are attached to the planning permission. They include modifications to the library; a plan on the carpark and modifications to water and sewage schemes.

Local Fianna Fáil Cllr Deirdre Forde gave it a guarded welcome.

“It is important to protect the commercial vibrancy of Douglas but also to alleviate traffic congestion. But it is essential to protect the quality of life of Douglas residents and it remains to be seen whether or not this development will have a positive effect,” she said.

Sean Downey, secretary of Douglas Residents Association, said they were disappointed with the county council’s decision. “We believe it will do more harm than good. There will be more noise and more traffic,” he said.