The proposals from Applegreen to develop a new facility at the old Cemex/ Concrete Pipes site at Naas are very welcome, to include a garage forecourt, central corporate office block and a research and training facility. I have been seeking progress on this site for some time and I’ve repeatedly raised the matter at Council over the past twelve months.

At recent meetings of the Naas Area Committee, I tabled motions seeking action on the site to both clean up its appearance and attract new development as I felt it was becoming an eye sore for the approach to Naas and was not the right image to present to visitors to the town. This is now very positive to see this project coming on-stream and moving forward.

I have discussed the latest proposals in detail with the Applegreen company and have also received assurances the development would not impact negatively upon the town centre but rather would provide an economic stimulus to Naas town and to the whole region with up to 400 new jobs boosting the local economy. The garage may also draw passing trade in off the motorway providing a new gateway into the town potentially.

The company has lodged a planning application with Kildare County Council and a decision will be forthcoming in the next number of weeks. Below is a synopsis from the planning file including brief description and reference number.

 

FILE

NUMBER

15/500

APPLICANTS NAME

Applegreen Service Areas

Ltd.

APP.

TYPE

P 15/06/2015 (1) Demolition of all existing buildings on the site

DATE

RECEIVED

DEVELOPMENT DESCRIPTION AND LOCATION

(9,923sqm). (2) Global Training Hub (office) in 3

storey building with plant over (3,041sqm gfa). (3)

Gobal Logistics and Food Research/Production facility

(6,000sqm gfa – including first floor mezzanine) with

6 No. loading bays. (4) Off-line Motorway Services

Area consisting of Amenity Building (4,356sqm gfa)

and 10 No. pump island Fuel Area with canopy over.

The Amenity Building is 2 storeys high with part

double height at ground floor level. It will contain 1

No. shop (max. 100sqm net floor space, including

off-licence), food court at ground and first floor level

with restaurant/cafe offerings and communal seating

areas, internal and external children’s play area,

external garden area, 24hr drivers lounge, quiet

zone, toilet facilities, outdoor roof terraces at first

floor level, storage, along with back of house area

(including storage, waste storage area, unloading

etc.). (5) Drive-thru Coffee Facility (160sqm gfa) in

single storey building with indoor and outdoor

seating. (6) Ancillary development consisting of: 2

No. entrance/exits (one relying on existing entrance

off Maudlins roundabout to serve Motorway Service

Area – with new slip road added – and one for office

and logistics buildings relying on existing entrance

off the R445). A total of 434 No. parking spaces

(324 No. spaces to service the service area and 110

No. spaces to serve the office and logistics

buildings). 2 No. electric charge points are included.