Carlow County Council has given the go-ahead for a €200 million investment in the town which could see the creation of up to 170 full-time jobs.
The local authority has granted planning permission for the construction of phase one of pharmaceutical giants Merck, Sharp and Dohme’s investment in the former IDA business park.
The global research company submitted plans for phase one of the development of its €200 million, state-of-the-art research facility in June this year after announcing its intention to purchase the entire 65-acre business park on the Dublin Road in November of last year.
And Carlow County Council confirmed last Friday, August 1, that permission had been granted to the multinational healthcare giants to begin construction on their phase one plans, subject to conditions.
Construction on the site is now expected to begin in October with phase one construction scheduled to be completed towards the end of next year. It is estimated that up to 300 construction jobs could be created over a three year cycle.
The initial construction phase will be followed by a period of testing, licensing, preparation and recruitment with operations scheduled to begin in 2011.
On announcing their phase one development plans, Merck, Sharp and Dohme said that later this year and throughout 2009, the company would be seeking highly skilled people across a range of disciplines.
“People will be working in a modern environment with excellent salaries, quality training programmes and the chance to collaborate with colleagues in other global locations,” said Bryan Meehan, General Manager, Merck, Sharp and Dohme.
The development of the new vaccine and biologics formulation and filling facility will consist of a 16,220 sqm warehouse and production building alongside a 2,200 sqm office building, a utilities yard and a number of ancillary service buildings and tanks.
The new three-storey office building will be linked to the existing three-storey office building on the site while the warehouse will be a two-storey corridor to the new office building.
The development will also include 180 car park spaces, an internal access road, a bicycle shelter, underground services, site lighting and permanent and temporary signage.
The main access to the site will remain the existing road from the Dublin Road roundabout with additional vehicular access from the Dublin Road closer to the town.
The main conditions for the granting of planning permission for the development relate to compliance with council guidelines on water services and effluent discharge and proper access to the site.
Merck, Sharp and Dohme said that Carlow had been chosen for this important investment because of its strategic location and because of the suitable size and scale of the site which is supported by good local infrastructure, services and amenities.
