Ballymun Councillor Noel Rock today welcomed Dublin City Council’s move to buy 53% of Ballymun Shopping Centre from NAMA, giving it full ownership of the shopping centre (it previously owned the remaining 47%). Speaking on this move, Cllr Rock said: “This is a positive development and a forward-thinking move from the City Council. I had called on them in the past to consider this, and I am glad it is now happening. The City Council can oversee a redevelopment within the centre, and having one owner makes it a more straightforward operation”.
Cllr Rock continued: “Ballymun needs a strong retail presence, it’s the final piece of the jigsaw and a renewed revived Shopping Centre is necessary for locals. Currently we have a relatively empty shell facing out on to Ballymun Road, and I think we should be working to ensure that this is renewed, revived and regenerated. I am hopeful that this will now be the case, and glad to see it moving out of NAMA”.
Cllr Rock added: “Many Ballymun residents, including my own mother, don’t drive to the shops – so it’s important that we have as strong a local retail presence as possible, and having one owner who has an interest in seeing Ballymun prosper is a definite step forward in that sense”.