"These are happy days compared to the hard times John Healy described, and that's no harm, " says selling agent Brian Moran. "I think Bellaghy is ideally situated to exploit a scheme like this. It's four or five miles from Knock. It's on the main Westport/Dublin road. And when the planned bypass is in place it will be an even more attractive location as a commercial centre."

The Willowbrook shopping centre will comprise retail units including a large supermarket, residential units, office accommodation and a creche. Ample parking will be available in and around the development. Behind the venture, the biggest of its kind ever undertaken in Bellaghy, is M and M Properties, a company owned by Tom Mulchrone from Newport and Eamon Mahon from Castlebar. Willowbrook Builders is the contractor for the scheme.

The development is expected to take six months to construct.

The three-storey Willowbrook Centre will include a supermarket unit comprising 6,028sq ft, along with five ground-floor retail units each measuring 1,150sq ft. Six office units located on the first and second floor will cover a total area measuring 6,500sq ft.

The creche unit will measure 4,000sq ft and will include facilities for 50 children. The development will also include five two-bed, timber-floored apartments.

"The apartments are priced at 220,000 each, " says Brian Moran.

"The retail units will be available to rent at 500 per week and the offices are priced from 270,000 upwards.

Further information: Moran Auctioneers, Ellison Street, Castlebar. Tel: 094 9021796