Clara investment 'could bring over 100 jobs to area'
Plans for a major €7.5 million investment in Clara could create more than 100 jobs in the town over the coming years, an Offaly TD has said.
A planning application for the development of a 75,000 sq ft distribution centre at Carraig Mór Industrial Estate in the town was lodged with Offaly County Council by Tullamore-based Cayenne Holdings Ltd in recent weeks.
Welcoming the plans, Offaly Fianna Fáil TD, Tony McCormack, said they could lead to the creation of over 100 new jobs, representing "a significant vote of confidence in Clara and its future".
He stated that the facility was "expected to employ 65 people initially, with employment projected to grow to 107 within two to three years".
According to the plans, Cayenne Holdings Ltd is proposing the "commercial development of a 6,941sqm logistics warehouse in Clara".
The development would be on a greenfield site of "1.854 hectares" with "three existing light industrial units" located adjacent to it.
The project would involve the construction of a logistics warehouse with a gross floor area of approximately 6,941 square metres.
According to the plans, the proposed development would "exhibit a high quality, modern architectural design and finish, comprising a high-bay logistics warehouse with racking and four associated loading docks and marshalling areas".
An office area for administrative staff over three floors, car, HGV trailer and cycle parking spaces, complete with associated landscaping and boundary treatments are also included in plans for the proposed development.
In its planning application, Cayenne Holdings Ltd stated that the "subject site is located on lands zoned for enterprise and employment" with the Clara town plan "specifically stating the lands have potential for economic growth".
Calling on Offaly County Council to give its full support to the distribution centre, the applicants said the proposal intends to "support the self-sustaining town status of Clara" by "providing local employment and strengthening the town's economic base".
The proposed development, initially announced by Midlands-North-West MEP Barry Cowen, has been welcomed by local councillors and Dáil representatives.
Clara councillor Frank Moran said the announcement showed that towns like Clara can compete successfully for major commercial investment.
"Clara has so much going for it. We have a central location, excellent access to the national road and rail networks and, most importantly, a skilled and hardworking workforce," the councillor said.
Although the proposed development "remains subject to approval", Deputy McCormack said the announcement was "hugely encouraging".
"This is fantastic news for Clara and the wider Offaly area. A €7.5 million investment and the prospect of over 100 new jobs is a significant vote of confidence in the town and its future," said the TD.
"Clara is a town with a proud industrial history, and I want to see it enjoying an equally strong economic future.
"I look forward to seeing the project progress and, hopefully, more than 100 people taking up employment in Clara in the years ahead.
"One of the things I have always believed is that people should have the opportunity to build a career, raise a family and enjoy a good quality of life without having to travel long distances to work," Deputy McCormack said.
Offaly County Council is due to make a decision on the planning application on or before November 8.