Plan unveiled for county’s first 24-hour motorway service hub
The application has just been lodged with Cork County Council for a €5m development adjacent to the M8’s junction 14, north of Fermoy in North Cork, and it is being backed by the AA.
The service area will be accessible from both sides of the motorway near the Moorepark agricultural research facility.
Developers JR Oronco Ltd intend to use a 4.6-acre site to build a convenience shop and deli, drive-through restaurant, showers, toilets, playground, and picnic area.
The plan also incorporates a car wash, fast charging points for electric cars, and parking spaces for 104 cars, 14 trucks, and two coaches.
Jr Oronco is owned by local businessmen Richie O’Flynn, the operations director at South Coast Logistics, and Jimmy Hanlon, who owns an engineering company.
“There is a considerable requirement for this type of facility on the southern stretch of the M8 motorway,” said Mr O’Flynn.
“With an investment in the region of €5m we are confident that this project will provide a significant boost to the local economy.
“It will create many badly needed jobs during the construction stage while creating a full-time workforce of between 70 and 100 people, not to mention the additional boost for local suppliers.
“It will set the bar in terms of services available to customers and will be a flag ship for the region operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
Conor Faughnan, AA’s director of consumer affairs, said that building a service station at the Fermoy site would be positive news for motorists.
“This is good news for traffic on one of the most important strategic corridors in the country. The M8 is a marvellous piece of infrastructure but it badly needs proper services.”
Mr Faughnan said that his organisation regularly deals with cars which run out of fuel on that part of the motorway.
“I’m delighted that the new facility will be there to offer proper, modern services,” he said.
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