£53m Coca-Colaplant gets all clear

THE construction of a new £53 million (€77.5m) Coca-Cola plant in County Antrim has been given the go-ahead.

Building work is due to begin shortly after planning approval was granted for the facility in Lisburn.

The company expects to start transferring work to the new plant in about 12 months. The investment will secure the jobs of 500 workers in Northern Ireland but will mean the closure of its operations in west Dublin and at Greenore in Co Louth.