1972 – Weston scheme for Shopping Centre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin

Plan for a shopping centre on Upper George’s Street and Corrig Avenue, on the former site of the Adelphi Cinema. Quite large, it was to contain 100,000 square feet of shopping, the same area in offices over five floors, a theatre, undefined leisure area including bar and restaurants, and 200,000 square feet of multi-level parking (approximately 700 cars). It was hoped to have two department stores anchor the development – likely the Weston owned Brown Thomas, Pennys, or Quinnsworth. It was intended that a residential block of twelve townhouses would be included. Planning permission was applied for in 1972. Opposed by the Dun Laoghaire Housing Action Group who referred to it as “a hideous monstrosity” and “destructive and unnecessary”. Went to a public hearing in 1975.

The architect Leslie Rebanks was British, but based in Toronto, and was married into the Weston family. The developer Galen Westen justified it on the grounds that “the internal mall type shopping development which was envisaged was new to the country, and that it seemed best to rely on the experience of someone who had designed similar type developments before.” Rebanks had worked on similar shopping and office developments before in the Toronto area for Weston.