Planning permission has been granted for a €65 million shopping, leisure, commercial and residential development in the heart of Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.
The scheme, designed by Dublin-based OBK Architects, is to be built on a three-acre site adjoining the Landmark Hotel, just south of the town's main street, as an extension to its commercial core.
The 25,000 sq metre scheme, which is valued at €65 million by its developers, the Liscara Partnership, will include an anchor store and 20 smaller retail units as well as restaurants, cafes, a five-screen cinema and 60 apartments. The residential element of the scheme is above the commercial centre and, according to the architects, it will offer "unrivalled views of the town centre and the River Shannon. All apartments will have balconies or private terraces.
"The blend of commercial, residential, retail, hospitality and leisure creates animated and sustainable environments," said OBK managing director Arthur O'Brien, who added that it would be "seamlessly integrated into the town centre".
He said the development would also go a long way to alleviate the growing pressure on car parking facilities in Carrick-on-Shannon by providing more than 530 off-street spaces, making it by far the largest car park in the town.
The Liscara Partnership says it placed a heavy emphasis on quality architecture and flexible design for the scheme, connecting it to existing streets and offering the prospect of boosting "footfall" on the existing retail zone.
