Bohemians have today issued a statement regarding their redevelopment of Dalymount Park. In that statement the club have confirmed that there is a right of way dispute between the owners of the Phibborough Shopping Centre and UK giant Tesco’s.
Here is the clubs statement in full;
‘In response to a media report today regarding a dispute that threatens the proposed redevelopment of Phibsborough Shopping Centre, the board of Bohemian FC wishes to state the following:
Dublin City Council’s identified preferred conceptual redesign of Dalymount Park included a main entrance and civic space via lands owned by MM Capital (Phibsborough Shopping Centre).
We have had continuous positive engagement with MM Capital since 2015 around the integrated design of the adjoining sites.
As reported today, a rights-of-way dispute between Tesco and MM Capital puts the redevelopment of the shopping centre at risk.
Bohemian FC was fully aware of this potential impasse and it was communicated to club members and discussed at our recent AGM.
We call on the parties involved to work together to resolve their differences to allow for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver an integrated design of Phibsborough Village Centre.
If this impasse persists, it would not prevent the redevelopment of Dalymount Park.
It would, however, obviously necessitate a change to the conceptual design presented thus far. But as the final design team are yet to be appointed, this would be factored into the council’s plans.
We believe that the main fallout from a possible non-integrated development would be the obvious loss to the local community.
We have worked closely with resident groups to ensure the conceptual design was one that delivered for both football and the local community.
While this impasse would not prevent the redevelopment of Dalymount Park, it would however result in a final design that could not fully grasp the opportunity for both sites to provide the maximum social return to the local community.
We call on Tesco to take account of this reality.’