The Sunday Independent

Arnotts, Henry Street

A massive redevelopment of Dublin city centre, spearheaded by Arnotts, who have carefully built up a massive land-bank beside the Liffey, will begin early in the new year. A planning application for a New York-style development that will transform the Henry Street, Middle Abbey Street and Liffey street areas will be lodged in January or February. The plan may put forward a proposal for a brand new street which will link Middle Abbey Street with Henry Street, to fundamentally alter the geography of Dublin city centre. Arnotts chairman and shareholder Richard Nesbitt declined to comment but plans for a development of several acres is nearing completion. The mix of retail units with a hotel, bars and restaurants will echo New York's Columbus Circle which includes the Time Warner Centre and the five-star Mandarin Hotel. The Arnotts development will stretch from Upper Liffey Street as far as Penneys on Middle Abbey Street and as far as the GPO arcade on Henry Street. The Arnotts plan combined with the continuing redevelopment of the Ilac centre and the rejuvenation of Roche's Stores will radically change the city streetscape.