No appeals to Mahon Point €200m expansion

Way is cleared for the €200m expansion of Mahon Point Shopping Centre as the plan has not been appealed to the planning board.

View of the proposed Mahon 2.0 extension proposal showing future-planned LUAS light rail terminal.

Plans for a major €200m expansion of Mahon Point Shopping Centre have not been appealed to An Coimisiún Pleanála, clearing the way for the development of “Mahon 2.0”.

Although a number of bodies made submissions/lodged objections with Cork City Council during the planning process, no objections were lodged with the planning board during the statutory four week appeal period. Among those who raised concerns with the council were Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), the National Transport Authority (NTA), and the Cork Business Association.

The TII was concerned that the proposed development would have a detrimental impact on the capacity, safety, and operational efficiency of the national road network in the vicinity of the site, while the NTA was concerned about potential impact on the proposed Luas Cork scheme.

The Cork Business Association sought reassurances that Cork city centre would be protected as the prime retail area “at the top of the retail hierarchy for the Cork region”.

None of the bodies made representations to the planning board, clearing the way for owner Deka Immobilien to proceed with the expansion plan which will add around 13,000sq m/140,000sq ft of additional “demand-led” retail space, on top of the existing 350,000sq ft gross footprint at Mahon Point.

It will also include almost 70,000sq ft of offices with 40 parking spaces as well as 250 apartments.

The centre is separate to Mahon Park Retail Park, which trades nearby. The development is expected to support over 1,500 permanent jobs, alongside 365 jobs during construction.

The planned Mahon Point redevelopment.

The expansion plan was approved subject to 52 conditions including that prior to commencement, the design of the internal road network would be finalised in consultation with the NTA and agreed in writing with the council.

There are restrictions too on what goods can be sold within a proposed retail warehouse — they must be limited to “bulky goods” having regard to “potential impact of the development on the vitality and viability of the city centre”.

Deka acquired the 60-unit shopping centre with cinema and restaurants from Irish developer Owen O’Callaghan back in 2005. When Mahon 2.0 is fully developed, it will have a value close to €500m in its own right, according to Peter O’Meara, the director of Savills Cork, who has been involved in tenanting the centre.