RETAIL MARKET:THURLES SHOPPING centre in Co Tipperary is being redeveloped and enlarged by owners Clancy Construction.

The new centre will consist of a refurbished Dunnes Stores with a floor area of 5,574sq m (60,000sq ft), a five-screen cinema and 20 new mall units to bring the total up to 32.

The development will also benefit from a new multi-storey car-park which will have more than 500 spaces.

Clancy Construction is investing around €30 million in the new-style centre which is expected to open for business in the spring of 2009.

Around 100 jobs are being created during the construction phase and a further 200 following the opening of the additional shops.

Paul Fahy of agent Bannon says that terms have been agreed with a cinema operator and a pharmacist, and that they are in final negotiations on eight of the new mall units.

He said he expected that the completed scheme would consolidate retail activities within the town centre by adding new international and national branded retailers to the retail core.

The enlarged centre will be within a 30-minute drive of 70,000 shoppers.