The maker of 'blockbuster' weight loss and diabetes drug, Ozempic, Novo Nordisk has been requested to lodge revised plans for its large scale Dublin plant arising from local residents' concerns.
In December, the Irish arm of Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk lodged plans with South Dublin County Council for a large new filling and packaging facility at Grange Castle Business Park West in Clondalkin in an effort to meet soaring demand for its respective diabetes and weight-loss drugs, Ozempic and Wegovy.
The request for further information puts a question mark over Novo Nordisk's construction timeline as a planning report lodged with the application anticipated that construction works would commence in "Q2 2024" and take 27 months.
The company has told South Dublin County Council that its proposed manufacturing campus for a new generation of life-saving medicines, will create up to 1,100 new permanent jobs including 600 in production and 500 in administration.
Underlining the scale of the proposal, during construction an average of 1,000 personnel is expected to be on site, with approximately 2,000 during the midpoint of the construction phase.
In the 10 year planning application, the proposed development will consist of buildings with a total area of approximately 147,192 square metres
A planning statement lodged for the "multi-million euro investment" stated that Novo Nordisk "is experiencing significant growth in demand for its medicines and they wish to expand their filling and production capacity to serve the patients that rely on them".
The planning statement drawn up by Tony Bamford Planning states that "a facility of this scale has the potential to make a substantive economic contribution to the local and regional economy as part of a cluster of similar developments in the area".
Now, in a request for revised plans, the Council has told the applicants that "notwithstanding the zoning of the site, having regard to third-party submissions received from local residents, further design measures should be employed to improve the visual impact of the proposed buildings".
The Council states that this item excludes the sdministration building "which is considered to be of a high quality design".
"While the scale and massing of the other buildings is acceptable, the design of some of the more prominent elevations of the units could be improved, in particular when viewed from the site boundaries," it said.
The Council has also asked that an updated ecological report be provided to include additional bird survey work on the Golden Plover bird prior to the bird's departure to its Icelandic breeding areas.
The applicants have also been asked to provide "justification for the proposed ten year duration of the permission".
In her submission, local resident, Sinead McNulty has told the Council: "I built my home with considerable effort, expense and energy, in a rural location to enjoy the benefits provided by the area, the amenity, the flora, fauna and natural environment. The proposed construction project and development will significantly impact on this in a negative way."
On the visual impact of the scheme, Ms McNulty stated that "the planned construction of an enormous physical construction to house the warehouse will have a major detrimental impact on my wellbeing".
In a separate submission, Eric Light and Nicola Light have told the council: "My family and I would have concerns about the scale of this project and the impact the will have on our quality of life, our property and the surrounding area to our home".
The application will become "live" once more after the further information has been lodged.
Reporting by Gordon Deegan
