Row is brewing over glass cube shops project

Date Published: 10-Feb-2011

BY ENDA CUNNINGHAM

One of the biggest retail landlords in the city has warned that unless he is given planning permission to completely redevelop the main entrance to the Eyre Square Shopping Centre – to make way for a major international fashion retailer – Galway will continue losing shoppers to other cities.

He has also warned that the impending redevelopment of Galway Shopping Centre could be detrimental to the city centre.

However, a series of objections have been lodged against the plans by tenants in the Eyre Square Centre on the grounds that it would remove the main entrance, and they would be ‘at the whim’ of the new anchor tenant.

Developer Gerry Barrett – who owns the management rights to the passageways within the centre as well as a number of the retail units and the adjoining Edward Square – is seeking permission to completely demolish the ‘ramped’ entrance hallway leading from Eyre Square into the centre to make way for a 20,000 square foot retail unit.

The new development will be a ‘glass cube’ looking onto Kennedy Park, which will be anchored by a ‘big name’ brand.

Mr Barrett – described as the ‘superior landlord’ of the centre – claims the redevelopment will put the centre on a par with the Dunnes Stores entrance to Edward Square; the Arnotts entrance on Jervis Street, Dublin; Debenhams in the Ilac Centre, Dublin; and Next in the Quayside, Sligo.

“Securing an anchor tenant will not only assist the existing tenants and landlords, but will sustain the centre in the future and diminish the potential loss of business out of Galway City to other major retail sectors that have become more accessible as a result of a more efficient road, rail and bus transport system. “Galway as a retail destination is suffering and is not competing with other regional towns and centres”, he said.

It forms part of the developer’s overall plans for the €800m redevelopment of Ceannt Station. He has also secured planning for the demolition of a 1970s extension to the side and rear of the Meyrick Hotel.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.