Ballymore Properties' €60 million Florentine shopping centre in Bray has been appealed to An Bord Pleanála by a nearby property owner.
PJ Kehoe, the owner of shops and offices at 25a Florence Road, as well as a rear service yard, says access to the rear of his property will be prevented by a proposed ramp for the car-park exit of the shopping centre. He says this will affect deliveries and car-parking.
"It appears that Bray Town Council has not taken into account my written objection, as there is no mention of my right of way in the decision or the condition attached to it. Therefore I am appealing to the board to have this issue addressed and resolved before development commences."
Bray and District Chamber has said publicly that it hoped the scheme would not be appealed to An Bord Pleanála and it would be allowed to proceed to the development stage as soon as possible. It views the shopping centre as "critically important" to the rejuvenation of Bray's retail offering and the most "significant step" taken in recent years in the development of the town's retail landscape.
It is hoped the new centre will stem the flow of shoppers to Dundrum Town Centre and other Dublin retail destinations. While Bray has a busy commercial life and is one of the fastest growing towns on the east coast, its retail choice is limited.
The focus for the 9,000sq m (98,875sq ft) shopping centre - bounded by Main Street, Eglinton Road, Florence Road and Quinsborough Road - will be on fashion and lifestyle stores. There is also a residential element of 110 apartments. Rising to seven storeys, the centre will also have a crèche, community facility and 549 car-parking spaces in a three-level basement. Vehicular access will be off Florence Road with three pedestrian entrances at Main Street, Quinsborough Road and Florence Road.
