Four sites in running for sugar beet factory
County manager Martin Riordan has refused to name the sites because of commercial sensitivities but it has been speculated by county councillors that the former Greencore plant in Mallow, and a serviced greenfield site near Carrigtwohill, once earmarked for biotechnology giant Amgen, are in the running.
The council was asked to identify suitable sites by Sugar Beet Ireland, which is hoping to open a plant in 2017. A number of locations for the factory are being examined throughout the country.
Noel O’Driscoll, a senior executive officer in the council’s Economic Development Unit, compiled the report, which examined suitable ‘zoned sites’ in Cork.
The report has now been given to Sugar Beet Ireland directors whom the county manager and senior council officials will meet again in a few week’s time to discuss the suitability of the sites.
Cllr Frank O’Flynn (FF) and Noel McCarthy (Lab) had sought information on progress with site identification. They maintain that some Department of Defence land in Kilworth, previously earmarked for a now defunct super prison, would be ideal for such a factory.
“I think Kilworth would be an ideal location as it’s near the (M8) motorway. But if it’s not chosen I hope one of the other three locations will be,” Mr McCarthy said. “We need to secure this for the county because of the hundreds of jobs it will generate.”
Mr O’Flynn said unzoned land should also be looked at if none of the four zoned sites were suitable for Sugar Beet Ireland’s purposes.
Councillors Noel O’Connor (FG), Ronan Sheehan (Lab), and Kevin O’Keeffe (FF) maintain the factory should be opened on the original site in Mallow as it had an EPA licence, a rail link, and was close to major roads.
Cllr Tim Collins (Ind) said reopening a factory in Mallow would help create jobs for people in Newmarket and Kanturk where there is little employment.
Meanwhile, Cllr Gerry Kelly (FG) felt the Amgen site near Carrigtwohill should be the prime runner.
He said the site was fully serviced, close to main roads, and near the Cork-Midleton railway line.
Mr Riordan said council officials had been “methodic and professional” about locating suitable sites. “It may be easy to find a site but hard to get (planning) approval for it. Transport and traffic will be major issues, environmental considerations as well,” he said.
“We also have land we own which may be too small but they are welcome to look at. Unzoned land isn’t excluded but we have to look at zoned land first.”
The manager said the council will continue to work hard to secure a site for Sugar Beet Ireland to ensure Cork benefits from the jobs boost.
