The identity of Ferrybank Shopping Centre's owner has finally been confirmed following twelve months of speculation.
The Waterford News & Star reports that Better Value Unlimited, or Dunnes Stores to you and I, is the proprietor of the ghost shopping centre which has laid largely idle since 2008.
In March last year, Beat reported that Dunnes Stores was to move into the long-vacant Shopping Centre before Christmas following the change of ownership.
The news marked the end of a protracted legal dispute between Dunnes Stores, Deerland Construction and NAMA over the €100m white elephant development.
The building, which is 30,000 square feet, currently houses Kilkenny Council's municipal offices and the Ferrybank Library.
While confirmation that Better Value Unlimited is the legal owner is a step towards realising the development's potential, the means through which the information had to be obtained doesn't appear all that promising.
Following multiple failed requests to NAMA by Kilkenny's Piltown Municipal District council to reveal the identity of the new owner, the information was finally obtained through the Property Register by Kilkenny County Council Chief Executive Sean McKeown and Director of Services Denis Malone.
This means that Better Value Limited have yet to publically come forward as the owner or state its intentions for the development – twelve months into ownership.
Fianna Fáil councillor Ger Frisby has proposed that Piltown Municipal District Council now contact Better Value Unlimited to request a statement of plans for the shopping centre.
It's understood that there are some alteration works underway at the shopping centre at the time of writing.
