Food group Greencore has submitted plans to build a €1.1 billion new town centre on edge of Carlow. The firm says the development will support 2,000 jobs in the area.
The plan includes 3,000 residential units, retail facilities and a 50-acre business park on the 330-acre site of the former sugar factory in the town. The company has submitted the plan to Carlow County Council for its proposed local area plan for the town.
Greencore's development director Geoff Doherty said the plan, if adopted, would transform a large area of Carlow town.
He told RTE radio Carlow could support the development, as it had good motorway access and was strategically placed between Dublin and Waterford. Mr Doherty said the job numbers, if the plan were adopted, would represent a fivefold increase on the number of people previously working at the sugar plant.
SIPTU's national industrial secretary Gerry McCormack told RTE radio the move was no surprise, but the union was very unhappy as workers in the company's former sugar plants in Carlow and Mallow had not received redundancy terms as recommended by the Labour Court.
He accused the company of refusing to abide by a Labour Court recommendation on redundancies, adding that €4.4m was the subject of a court case being taken by the unions. Mr McCormack said the union had no problem with regenerating the site, but wanted the company to treat its former workers with respect.
Developer Liam Carroll is a major shareholder in Greencore, having spent €200m buying out Dermot Desmond's 22% share a few months ago.
Shares in Greencore closed five cent higher at €4.10 in Dublin this evening.
