An Bord Pleanala has granted planning permission for a £20 million shopping centre and multi-storey car-park in the centre of Bray, Co Wicklow.

It will be the first major shopping complex to be developed by Ballymore Properties, although the company has completed several neighbourhood centres. Mr Sean Mulryan's company has extensive property interests both in Ireland and the UK. The new complex will be located between Main Street, Quinnsboro Road and Florence Road, where Ballymore assembled a site from 21 different owners over a period of almost four years. Bray Urban District Council is to provide additional land, mainly for the car-park which will relieve the parking congestion in the town and facilitate motorists using the new shopping centre. The Florence Road site is currently used as a surface car-park. Ballymore and the UDC will share the revenue from the car-park, which will have about 500 spaces - about 100 fewer than originally planned. The retail element will include about 100,000 sq ft. Since the issue went before An Bord Pleanala, Ballymore has acquired several properties adjoining the site. A new planning application is now likely to be lodged to take account of the extra space and the alterations sought by the board.

Three major multiples had expressed interest in taking the entire 100,000 sq ft of retail space.