Crumlin ‘in dire need of social housing’ as new shopping centre gets the green light

Planning permission for the development of the site currently occupied by Crumlin Shopping Centre in Dublin 12 was granted on April 9.

Sinn Féin Leader on Dublin City Council and European election candidate for Dublin, Daithí Doolan, said the current building is becoming an “eyesore”, but he believes the “community’s needs must come first”.

“We were very clear with that from the start. We welcome the development, it’s becoming an eyesore, it was a thriving shopping centre and it declined in recent years,” he said.

“We want that shopping centre to be developed, we want housing, we want services, but not at the expense of local people’s quality of life.

“We welcome this development, but it needs to contribute to the local community in housing and services rather than benefitting private developers in a community that is in dire need of social and affordable housing,” he added.

The development will consist of the overall demolition of existing buildings on site and the construction of a new shopping centre with an off-licence, two retail concession stalls and ancillary café area.

The two-storey building will contain storage areas comprising freezer rooms, fresh produce room, dairy room, and cold meat room, loading areas, switch rooms, ESB meter rooms, water storage room and staff facilities including toilet, shower and changing facilities, kitchen, lockers, and associated offices and break out rooms.

There’s also provisions for a gym facility, a food market and a library facility with flexible exhibition/community/ arts and cultural multi-function space, and a mobility hub.

The proposed development includes the retention of 400 existing car parking spaces on site, a loss of 103 existing car parking spaces, which will be upgraded with the provision of 80 EV charging car parking spaces, family car parking spaces, click-and-collect car parking spaces, online delivery infrastructure, wheelchair accessible car parking spaces and car share scheme car parking spaces.

The proposals also include 20 motorcycle parking spaces and 267 bicycle parking spaces including 6 cargo bicycle parking spaces.