• 34 Retail Units with jobs for 200

    Aug
    30

    THIRTY-four retail units creating full-time employment for over 200 and attracting an additional 1.5 million shoppers annually to Waterford is the hope of a Northern Ireland based company planning a multimillion Euro investment in the city.

    Parker Green International, which purchased the former Waterford Crystal Social and Sports Centre Pitch & Putt course and playing fields, is awaiting planning permission for a factory retail outlet to sell designer goods at a fraction of their original cost.

    The mammoth project, which would have 8,435sqm gross floor space and space for more than 360 cars and four coaches is being promoted by Junction One Investment Ltd.

    Planning permission was submitted to Waterford City Council in mid July and a decision is expected on September 9.

    Unveiling their plans yesterday (Monday) it was announced that if given the green light 300 jobs would be created in the construction phase.

    EIGHT SCREEN CINEMA
    In addition to that, Parker Green is now proceeding with plans to build an eight-screen cinema on another part of the site. Planning permission was granted for the cinema along with retail stores, offices, a hotel and restraints, on appeal by An Bord Pleanála two years ago.

    The cinema is to be built by David Flynn Construction, giving employment to 80 people. It will be operated by Omniplex who run 25 cinemas across Ireland, including facilities at the Parker Green International developments in Newry and Carlow.

    With construction about to get underway Junction One Ltd. is keeping its fingers crossed that their application for planning permission for the factory retail outlet will get the nod from the city planning office.

    Martin Quinn, Director of Junction One Investments Ltd., said it would fit in very well with city centre shopping, as it would attract much more shoppers to Waterford.

    He added that experience at similar facilities elsewhere suggested it would become a major visitor attraction and dovetail with the multiagency ‘Destination Waterford’ initiative to develop and promote the city more widely in Ireland and overseas.

    He didn’t believe that it would contravene the City Development Plan because it would be a discount facility, mainly selling items of clothing and footwear from a previous season.

    QUALITY RETAIL
    There were, he pointed out, similar developments in Killarney and Kildare Village.

    “We look forward to applying our experiences in Northern Ireland to Waterford in conjunction with Parker Green International who have a track record of delivering quality retail and lifestyle developments in Ireland and overseas. The 34 stores at the Cork Road will accommodate recognisable brand names offering great value,” he said.

    “The completion of the final phase of the M9 Dublin-Waterford motorway next month and the existing N25 Waterford City Bypass, which opened late last year, make the site readily accessible to a wide catchment area. This makes it an ideal location for a development that will attract visitors to Waterford from right across the south of Ireland as well as appealing to overseas tourists while they’re in Ireland. While in Waterford, the visitors we attract can also discover the city’s other attractions which continue to be strengthened and which our facility will support.”

    Dr Gerard O’Hare CBE, Group Managing Director, Parker Green International, said, “We’re delighted that Junction One have delivered a real vote of confidence by selecting Waterford as their next location for expansion and hugely excited about a scheme with tremendous potential to underpin Waterford’s designation as gateway to the southeast and an important tourism destination. The success of the outlet centre at Junction One since 2004 underlines the demand among Irish and international consumers for convenient and affordable access to brand names. In fact, this retail segment is proving particularly resilient during the recession.”

    ECONOMIC DOWNTURN
    Mr O’Hare said Waterford had not been immune to the impacts of the economic downturn but that Parker Green’s investment plans offered an opportunity to generate sustainable employment that would help lay the foundations for recovery as Waterford’s fight-back gathers pace.

    Dr O’Hare, Ambassador for Corporate Responsibility in Northern Ireland and chairman of the Graduate Acceleration Programme (GAP) developed by Business in the Community in partnership with University of Ulster and Queen’s University Belfast, added, “We have already had exploratory discussions with training agencies to ensure a pool of skilled people can avail of the construction and retail employment opportunities to be created.”

    In relation to the importance of Waterford’s city centre, he said, “As owners of a key site at the junction of High Street and Exchange Street, we are very aware of the need to protect the primacy of Waterford’s historic core.

    Given this, we have put a lot of work in to developing a model that will complement and support rather than compete with and detract from the city centre offering which is being very much strengthened through the House of Waterford Crystal and Viking Triangle projects that play to Waterford’s strengths.”