Leading UK contractor GRAHAM has begun work on the €9.3 million revamp of Ireland's largest retail development, Blanchardstown Centre.

This project will see the centre welcome eight new stores and unveil a modern, reimagined space upon completion in November 2020.

GRAHAM was appointed to take on the ambitious project by Multi Ireland Ltd, which manages the centre for Blackstone who acquired the Dublin outlet in 2016. Over 65 GRAHAM employees and subcontractors will be working on the project.

It will help elevate the layout of the centre, which welcomes 16 million shoppers annually, by replacing and upgrading floor finishes, improving accessibility and utilising formerly unused space.

The scheme aims to enhance the internal appearance and functioning of the existing mall areas which cover some 1,100,000 sq ft or retail space with a further 200,000 sq ft of leisure space occupied by cinemas, a theatre and arts centre as well as Ireland's largest public library.

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Blanchardstown, which sits on the outskirts of Dublin, will continue trading as normal while works are ongoing.

GRAHAM Contracts Director Neill Gillespie said: "The GRAHAM team are pleased that Multi Ireland has trusted us to be their delivery partner for this project. Given our recent experience in shopping centre refurbishments of this scale we are confident we have the right team to overcome the challenges this type of project bring and successfully deliver a project everyone will be proud of, handing over a modernised shopping and leisure environment that will benefit both the tenants and visitors of Blanchardstown Centre."

The contract for Blanchardstown follows on from GRAHAM's newest retail agreement with Primark to revamp four of its UK stores in a £25m deal.

Mr Gillespie continued: "We will be bringing Blanchardstown into the new generation of retail and conclude with a space that provides a more streamlined, modern shopping experience.

"This will include new floors at level one and two, replacement of bulkheads and shopfronts and revised signage as well as the replacement of internal suspended ceilings at level one. There will also be alterations made to the central mall area with travellators replaced with escalators and two lifts, the removal of a water feature and the addition of a children's play area.

"To deliver this project over 52 weeks we will work alongside Lafferty architects and project managers, KSN surveyors, ARUP and Ethos Engineering to ensure work is delivered on time and with the expertise needed to reimagine a retail environment as we know it."

When complete Blanchardstown, which counts Dunnes Stores, M&S, Debenhams and Penny's among its anchor tenants will welcome JD Sports, ALDI and other top name retailers to the centre.