Lack of progress on Thurles business & innovation centre highlighted

Thurles Municipal District offices. Photo © Tipp FM.

Council officials are to make contact with those behind plans for part of the former Erin Foods site in Thurles.

Permission was granted for a Business and Innovation Centre in 2019 as part of plans which included the Lidl supermarket which opened at Clongour last year.

Councillor Jim Ryan highlighted at this month’s meeting of Thurles Municipal District that nothing appears to be happening.

“It was great news at the time – jobs were promised during the construction and obviously then there would be spaces there for companies to create jobs for Thurles, something that’s badly needed.

“But nearly three years later there has been absolutely no development taking place, no works have commenced. So I just asked the council to contact and liaise with the developers and the owners of the site to see if anything can be done to move this project along that’s so badly needed for the town.”

Cllr Ryan says he has received complaints from people that the site looks bad.

“The old Erin Foods factory itself was knocked a few years ago so it does look unsightly. It’s one of the main approach roads to into Thurles.

“The council said they would do everything they can to help the developers in trying to make this happen.”