Posted online: Feb 18th, 2010

By Sinéad Flanagan
Editor

THE DECISION to uphold planning permission for a new €75 million development in Athy has been welcomed by locals, though work is unlikely to begin this year.
An Bord Pleanala gave the go ahead last week to Tegral Group to build a new state of the art production facility at Shrowland, three kilometres from Athy town centre on the Monasterevin road. The company is currently the largest employer in South Kildare employing 369 staff.
A spokesperson for the company said: “The Tegral Group welcomes the decision by An Bord Pleanála to uphold planning permission, which was granted by Kildare County Council.”
Adding however: “The company will now evaluate the planning conditions, but in the current market climate, work on the new site is unlikely to commence until next year at the earliest.”
The proposed development comprises production facilities for Tegral Building Products to manufacture fibre cement roof slates and import other roofing and building cladding products and Tegral Metal Forming to manufacture metal roofing and cladding products including composite panel and structural sections.
The development includes a 24,500sqm production facility for Tegral Building Products and a 16,500sqm production facility for Tegral Metal Forming. Also included in the plans are administration buildings, car-parking, storage facilities and silos, surface water management systems, a waste water treatment plant and ESB sub-station.
David Graham, Tegral Group’s Managing Director said: “The new development will bring the most up-to-date technology into world-class production facilities, ensuring the highest standards of production and the delivery of quality products to our customers. This project will also considerably enhance the working conditions for our employees and the environment in which Tegral operates.”
Deputy Jack Wall remarked: “Considering the down turn in the construction industry in Ireland in the past number of years, a commitment from Tegral to build such a modern plant would send out the right signals to the industry and once again put the Athy facility on the map.”