Council buys Lisbunny Industrial Estate
EFFORTS to create new jobs in Nenagh have been ramped up by Tipperary County Council, which has revealed its purchase of the Lisbunny Industrial Estate on the edge of the town.
It comes on a week when councillors from the district endorsed the go-ahead for the construction by the council of a Digital Hub with a total floor area of 1,240 square metres on the Stereame industrial site situated at the other end of the town - a development that is also expected to generate substantial local employment.
Nenagh Municipal District Manager Marcus O’ Connor, revealing the purchase by the local authority of the Lisbunny site to local councillors at their November meeting in the Nenagh Civic Offices, said the council intended to use the 55 acre site to promote industrial development in the town. The site is said to have cost the council between €500,000 and €600,000.
Mr O’ Connor said the industrial estate, originally owned and developed by the IDA, and latterly by Shannon Industrial Properties, was viewed by the council as a very strategic site for job creation and for attracting inward investment.
“The council purchased the site to make it available for companies looking to locate in Nenagh. If we didn’t buy it we would have had no serviced industrial lands available to offer to people intending to come in to set up industry in the town,” said Mr O' Connor.
He revealed that the site stretched from the former Rorer factory on the old Dublin Road right over to the Old Birr Road. “Some of the land is prone to flooding but the rest of the land, around 40 acres, is top class industrial serviced land,” said Mr O' Connor.
Nenagh Municipal District Cathaoirleach, Councillor Seamus Morris, said it was fantastic news for the town as the site was very strategically located just off the M7 motorway.
Not alone would it enhance the prospect of further industrial development, it could also pave the way for the previously mooted development of a much-needed relief road linking the old Dublin Road with the Borrisokane Road.
Mr O’ Connor said the consideration of building such a relief road was one of the things on the minds of officials when it was decided to press ahead with the purchase of the site. However, for now the prime focus of the council was to promote the site for job creation.
Congratulating council management on its decision to purchase the site , Councillor Joe Hannigan said: “It was a brilliant move and a top class decision, and one that has to be commended.”
Councillor Ger Darcy said the site was a very important one for the council to acquire. To create a relief road through the site linking the Borrisokane Road and the old Dublin Road would be great if it could be achieved.
Councillor Hughie McGrath said the fact that the council owned the site would enhance the prospect of the relief road being developed.
Councillor Michael O’ Meara said the Lisbunny Industrial Estate had huge potential in terms of job creation, especially now that Nenagh was seen by many as a satellite town of Limerick City. He also urged the council to press ahead with the development of the proposed relief road through the site.
Eoin Dillon of Real Estate Alliance auctioneers said the site, situated on the periphery of Nenagh town, offered a fantastic opportunity to acquire a large track of industrial lands.
A little over half of the lands were of very good agricultural quality and could be easily rented out for farming purposes and there was potential to sell serviced industrial sites immediately without any further development outlay at this strategic location on the edge of the town centre.