New pharma facility mooted for ‘eyesore’ Monksland site

A new pharmaceutical facility could be developed on a prominent site in Monksland, after Roscommon County Council granted permission last week for the clearing of structures that are currently in place on the site.

The potential for Arran Chemicals to develop a new facility of "major strategic value" to Athlone on the site of the former Pharmaplaz facility in Monksland was highlighted as part of the planning application.

Bobmar Ltd is the current owner of the site in question, which is located close to the M6 motorway on the R362 in Monksland.

Last April, Bobmar Ltd applied for permission to remove partially-completed steel structures, as well as the removal of an office and storage building, storage containers, and other material.

The applicant said it entered into an agreement this year with Arran Chemical Company, which is part of the Almac group, to prepare the site for acquisition.

"This agreement ultimately provides for the sale of the site to Arran Chemical, subject to various conditions," stated Bobmar Ltd in planning documents

It went on to say the development which Arran Chemical Company has in mind for the site "will be of major strategic value" to Athlone.

"The proposed development will facilitate the redevelopment of the site for employment-generating uses. This will come in the form of the creation of a significant number of jobs directly, and numerous jobs indirectly from smaller local suppliers.

The applicant said the site at present was an "eyesore" and had been the subject of anti-social behaviour.

"The site has been subject to vandalism and while Bobmar employs a security company to patrol the site numerous times daily, it is impossible to fully eliminate unauthorised access, particularly at nighttime," said the landowner.

Bobmar Ltd said that, pending approval by the council for the clearing of the current structures on site, there would be a separate planning application that would "comprise of the detailed design of the ultimate facility that Arran Chemical intend to develop".

The landowner said its current understanding was that the future development of the site would involve a pharmaceutical facility, and it drew a comparison with the nearby Jazz Pharmaceuticals facility in terms of the potential traffic levels it could generate.

Roscommon County Council's decision, on December 4, granted permission for the removal of the existing structures, subject to conditions.

However another aspect of the planning application, which sought permission for the construction of a new access road off the existing roundabout on the R362, was turned down.

The council said it was concerned the access road could create a "traffic hazard" and increase pressure on the M6 junction interchange.

It said its decision to refuse permission for the access road was reached, "in the absence of conclusive information regarding the future use and development of the subject site, and having regard to the current capacity issues at the M6 Junction 13 interchange and the concerns and recommendations of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

"It is considered that the proposed construction of a new arm on the western roundabout to facilitate access to the site would create an adverse impact on the national road and associated junction and would be at variance with official policy in relation to development involving access to national roads," the council concluded.

Bobmar Ltd has four weeks in which it may appeal the refusal of the access road to An Bord Pleanála.

In 2017, a life sciences development called PriMe6 was mooted for the Monksland site in question, but this didn't come to pass.

Arran Chemicals has its existing Athlone premises located nearby, in Monksland Industrial Estate.