Amended motion calling on Greenogue rezoning

A CHRONIC shortage of Enterprise and Employment (EE) zoned land outside of Grange Castle will have a disastrous impact for SME’s unless land is rezoned for traditional industrial users, according to an experienced developer.

Con McCarthy, MD of Greenogue and Aerodrome Business Parks, made a submission to the South Dublin County Development Plan (2022- 26) to rezone land in the estate and address a “crisis” in relation to the availability of EE land in the draft development plan.

The business hub, which represents some 450 businesses and 7,000 employees, previously warned there will be no space left for any traditional industrial estates in the county by the end of the current development plan.

An amended Motion supporting the Greenogue rezoning by Cllr Kenneth Egan (FG) is due to be voted on later this month.

A report on May 23 by SDCC Chief Executive Daniel McLoughlin to councillors considers it “inappropriate to rezone the Greenogue as proposed” by the amendment. Mr McCarthy said the report “came as no surprise”.

“It is disappointing when every stakeholder in the county with even a passing knowledge of the situation, apart from it would appear, the manager, can see that there is a chronic shortage of industrially zoned land in the county outside of Grange Castle,” said McCarthy.

He likens the experience in the county for any warehouse operator or indigenous business trying to find space as “very similar” to that of a first time home buyer.

“There is very limited availability and unless you are foreign multinational who can locate in Grange Castle you have a serious challenge,” he said.

Cllr Egan said the amendment was well supported in the chamber, calling it a “no brainer” as it could create “2,500 jobs” and is effectively “just an extension of an industrial estate”.

“The amendment was accepted by the council but the Office of Public Works are not happy, they don’t want the council to go ahead with it.

“There is potential for 2,500 jobs here. The council mentioned Grange Castle and Citywest but that kind of work doesn’t suit Greenogue.

“I know people who work in Greenogue, welders, sparks, forklift drivers, who can’t expand their business as it is.”

Cllr Egan said there is “cross-party support” for the amendment, and he will be calling for a roll call on June 21/22, when this and two other items in the Development Plan are voted on.

“If it is passed, it will go up the ladder to a Minister and it is out of my hands, but I’ve done my job. I want jobs in the area.

“They are building more housing in the county, we need jobs, I think it would be a great addition for the area.”

Mr McCarthy said it is clear that “not everybody can work for a multi-national” and be assured of finding space to work in the county.

“Luckily however we have a group of elected representatives who have taken a huge amount of time to examine the issue and to look at the facts and that is why they voted by such a big majority to include the Greenogue proposal in the plan,” he said.

“I’m hopeful and confident that they will confirm their earlier decision when they get the opportunity.

“They, like all of us, recognise that not everybody from Clondalkin, Tallaght, Saggart, Rathcoole and Newcastle can work for a multinational in Grange Castle.

“The 450 or so businesses in Greenogue employ about 7,000 people between them and creating the space where people can create more jobs is what this is all about.

“There is always a direct link between zoning land for enterprise and employment uses and job creation and this was never as true as it is in this development plan.”