Plans approved for construction firm's new Tullamore HQ
Offaly County Council has granted planning permission for the development of a new two-storey corporate headquarters for construction company Townmore in Sragh Industrial Estate Tullamore.
The planned development of the new corporate headquarters, which is subject to 11 conditions, is designed to allow for the consolidation of the company's 65 employees in one building.
In its planning application, Townmore Construction outlined that it currently has office accommodation in Clonminch Hi-Tech Park, Tullamore, for 45 staff, as well as in Dublin (10 staff) and Cork (10 staff).
The company said the purpose of its new headquarters building "is to consolidate these staff in a single, purpose-built building".
The new headquarters building, which has now been given the green light by council planners, is set to provides workspaces to allow for a total of 65 current employees and provision for expansion with 73 workstations provided.
The development also includes provision of a 45-space car park and three bike parking stands. Meeting rooms, workstations, storage, and welfare facilities are also included as part of the plans.
In addition, an entrance canopy to the front of the proposed building and a secure yard to the rear for the storage of materials and paint also forms part of the project.
The planning application on behalf of K&J Townmore Construction Ltd was submitted last October, and further information was requested by the council the following month. The local authority queried the level of parking provision included in the development, raising concerns about whether the provision of 45 parking spaces for up to 73 employees "may result in overspill of parking onto approach roads to the site, potentially obstructing traffic flow". In its response, Townmore explained that "due to the nature of the industry, staff will spend a portion of their time in the HQ office" and the "remainder of their time on construction sites" and attending meetings.
"A survey of the current staff established that on average staff are in the office for a maximum of two days a week and that the number of staff in the office at the same time peaks at 38 (15 full-time and 23 transient staff)," the company said.
The parking management plan also stated that there is "no requirement for every employee to have a dedicated parking space simultaneously".
"Staff frequently rely on private vehicles for off-site duties. This results in constant 'comings and goings' of site-based staff. Car parking provision is based on demonstrated demand rather than theoretical maximum occupancy reducing pressure on parking.
"The proposed parking provision is therefore considered appropriate and will not result in adverse traffic or parking impacts," the parking management plan from the company further noted.
Townmore is a long-established and highly regarded construction company which has delivered many high-end projects across Ireland and the UK, including Tullamore Library, Tullamore Primary Care Centre, Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club and The Mont Hotel in Dublin city centre.
Its planning application was approved by the council on Tuesday (April 7) and at the time of writing the conditions attached to the grant of permission had not yet been published.