Clarehall Shopping Centre
A mid-sized Tesco-anchored shopping centre serving north Dublin, Ireland.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Clarehall Shopping Centre is a mid-sized suburban shopping centre in the northern Dublin district of Coolock, close to Ayrfield and the Clare Hall housing estate. The centre is owned by Tesco Ireland and is anchored by a large Tesco store, one of the early Tesco-branded stores of its kind in Ireland. Its catchment is primarily local and suburban, serving residents of north Dublin with grocery shopping, everyday retail, food, services, entertainment and office facilities. The centre takes its name from the surrounding Clare Hall area. That name ultimately derives from the former Claregrove Hall estate and the Clare Manor Hotel that later occupied the site. An icehouse associated with the original house remains in the vicinity, linking the modern retail complex with the area's earlier estate history. Tesco began pursuing the development in 2000. The project was initially described as a shopping centre costing approximately £20 million, and Tesco was reported to have acquired the roughly 10-acre site for about £12 million. Planning proved difficult because the company sought permission for a shopping centre rather than simply proceeding with an earlier permission for a standalone store. Dublin City Corporation rejected the initial proposal, and the planning process continued for more than a year. After a campaign lasting approximately four years, approval for a substantially larger development, reported in 2002 at a value of €70 million, was obtained. The completed centre opened officially on 19 July 2004. Television personality Kerry Katona performed the ribbon-cutting at the grand opening. In the same year, Clare Hall received the Irish Property award for Commercial Development in the Republic, giving the project recognition within Ireland's property and development sector. The complex is arranged around a main building of three floors. Tesco occupies much of the middle level, while other retailers operate on the ground and middle levels. The upper level has included entertainment and office uses, including a medical centre and an Irish driving-licence application facility. Parking forms a substantial part of the ground-level arrangement, with external services including laundry facilities and a Tesco grocery collection point. A smaller building within the centre's grounds, originally associated mainly with a gym and swimming pools, was subsequently divided into several retail units and accompanied by a restaurant. Architecturally, the main building is distinguished by a large glass roof. The roof was designed to admit natural heat and improve the building's operational efficiency. Clarehall therefore combines the functions of a supermarket-led retail destination, a neighbourhood shopping centre and a services hub. Its role is primarily local rather than national: the centre's value lies in convenient access for surrounding communities and in the breadth of everyday facilities gathered around its Tesco anchor.
History
Clarehall Shopping Centre was developed in the Clare Hall area of north Dublin, in the northern part of Coolock near Ayrfield. The location has an older historical association: it was near the site of Claregrove Hall, a former house, and the Clare Manor Hotel that replaced it. The names of the former estate and hotel helped establish the names Clare Hall and Clarehall for the surrounding residential area and the later shopping centre. An icehouse from the original house remains in the area. Tesco started planning the retail development in March 2000. Early descriptions referred to a proposed £20 million shopping centre, while Tesco was reported to have paid approximately £12 million for the 10-acre site. The project encountered a protracted planning process. In October 2000, Tesco applied for permission to develop the centre, but Dublin City Corporation subsequently rejected the proposal because it sought a shopping-centre development instead of proceeding under an existing permission for a standalone Tesco store. The company continued seeking approval for more than a year. In May 2002, approval was announced for a larger Clare Hall shopping-centre project, reported as a €70 million development. The approval followed a campaign lasting roughly four years. Tesco's involvement made the project a significant supermarket-led suburban development, while its planned mix of shops and other facilities gave it a broader role than a standalone grocery store. The centre officially opened on 19 July 2004. Kerry Katona cut the ribbon at the grand opening. In its first year, Clare Hall received the Irish Property award for Commercial Development in the Republic. This recognition marked the development as a notable commercial project in Ireland's property sector. The completed complex consists of a principal building arranged over three floors. Tesco occupies the central portion of the middle level, with additional shops on the ground and middle levels. The upper floor has been used for entertainment and office facilities. These have included an Irish driving-licence application centre and a medical centre, extending the site's function into administrative and healthcare services. The ground-level arrangement is largely devoted to parking and includes external laundry facilities and a Tesco grocery collection point. A prominent design feature is the main building's high glass roof, intended to capture heat and improve operational efficiency. A smaller building within the centre's grounds was originally associated mainly with a gym and swimming pools. It was later divided into multiple shops and accompanied by a restaurant. This adaptation reflects the centre's evolution from a supermarket-led development into a broader local services and retail destination. Clarehall Shopping Centre is owned by Tesco Ireland and operates primarily as a community-serving centre for surrounding north Dublin neighbourhoods. Its principal commercial identity remains its Tesco anchor, supported by smaller retail, food, leisure, health, administrative and convenience-service occupiers.
- 2004
Official opening
[1]Clarehall Shopping Centre opened on 19 July, with Kerry Katona performing the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
- 2004
Irish Property award
[1]The centre won the Irish Property award for Commercial Development in the Republic.
- 2002
Development approval secured
[1]Approval was announced for the Clare Hall shopping-centre project after a lengthy campaign and planning process.
- 2001
Initial planning request rejected
[1]Dublin City Corporation rejected the initial request because the proposal sought a shopping centre rather than a standalone store under the existing permission.
- 2000
Tesco begins development planning
[1]Tesco began planning a shopping-centre project in the Dublin 17 area, initially described as a development costing about £20 million.
- 2000
Planning application submitted
[1]Tesco applied for permission to develop a shopping centre after acquiring a site of approximately 10 acres.
Products and positioning
Local shopping destination and Tesco-anchored community retail centre for north Dublin
Grocery retail · 2004
Tesco supermarket
The centre's principal anchor is a Tesco supermarket occupying much of the middle level of the main building. It provides the core grocery and everyday-shopping offer around which the smaller retail and service units are arranged.
General retail · 2004
Shopping-centre retail units
Additional shops occupy the ground and middle levels of the main building. The centre's retail mix is oriented toward local convenience, household, fashion and everyday consumer needs, although the available tenant mix may change over time.
Community and professional services · 2004
Office and public services
The upper level has included office and public-facing facilities, including an Irish driving-licence application centre and a medical centre. These uses give the development a service role beyond conventional shopping.
Leisure and hospitality · 2004
Leisure and food facilities
Entertainment and food uses form part of the centre's wider offer. A smaller building on the site, once primarily associated with a gym and swimming pools, was later subdivided into shops and paired with a restaurant.
Retail fulfilment service
Tesco grocery collection point
An external Tesco grocery collection point operates as an ancillary convenience service, allowing customers to collect grocery orders from the shopping-centre site.
Brand decisions
2004
Opening of Clarehall Shopping CentreProduct launchBackground
Tesco developed the centre as a larger alternative to a standalone supermarket, with multiple floors and a wider range of tenants and facilities.
Action taken
The centre opened to the public on 19 July 2004.
Aftermath
The site became a Tesco-anchored local shopping destination and received an Irish Property commercial-development award during its opening year.
2002
Approval of the expanded Clare Hall developmentStrategyBackground
After a planning campaign lasting approximately four years, Tesco obtained approval for a shopping-centre project reported at €70 million.
Action taken
Tesco proceeded with development of a multi-floor centre combining its supermarket anchor with shops, services, entertainment and office uses.
Aftermath
The completed centre opened in July 2004 and became a local retail and services destination in north Dublin.
Reported development value. €70 million (2002 approval announcement)
2000
Tesco pursues a shopping-centre format instead of a standalone storeStrategyBackground
Tesco initially had planning permission associated with a standalone store but sought approval for a broader shopping-centre development in the Clare Hall area.
Action taken
The company submitted a proposal for a multi-use, supermarket-anchored shopping centre.
Aftermath
The initial request was rejected by Dublin City Corporation, leading to a prolonged planning process before a larger project was approved in 2002.
Recent events
- 2004
Clarehall Shopping Centre officially opens[1]
Product launch
The centre opened on 19 July 2004, with Kerry Katona carrying out the ceremonial ribbon-cutting at the grand opening.
- 2004
Clare Hall receives Irish Property commercial-development award[1]
Other
Clare Hall won the Irish Property award for Commercial Development in the Republic, recognising the retail development during its opening year.
- 2002
Approval granted for Clare Hall shopping-centre development[1]
Regulation
Following a campaign lasting approximately four years, Tesco received approval to build a shopping centre in the Clare Hall area. The approved development was reported at an estimated value of €70 million.
- 2001
Initial shopping-centre planning proposal rejected[1]
Regulation
Dublin City Corporation rejected Tesco's initial request because it sought permission for a shopping centre in place of an existing permission for a standalone store. The planning process continued for more than a year.
- 2000
Tesco begins planning for a shopping centre in Dublin 17[1]
Other
Tesco began planning a proposed shopping centre on a roughly 10-acre site in the Clare Hall area. The project was initially reported as having an estimated cost of approximately £20 million.
Sources1 sources
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