Demolition works at derelict Kildare site expected to begin this month
The Cemex site has been empty since 2007, derelict since a fire gutted most of it in 2012
THE appeal by An Taisce against the €17m re-development of the Cemex site in Naas has now been formally rescinded, An Bord Pleanála has confirmed in a letter to Kildare County Council recently.
As reported in the recently that this was likely, it could only be described as “unconfirmed” – until now.
“As a member of An Taisce myself, I am very happy that they have seen the light and withdrawn their appeal,” said long-time campaigner on the issue, and chair of Naas Tidy Towns, cllr Bill Clear.
“We’ve worked for years to try and get this site developed and not left as a ghetto,” he said.
“It’s been derelict now for 15 years, and on the Council’s Register of Derelict Sites (since 2019), but in fairness to Applegreen, they have submitted a substantial plan,” he said.
“When I first raised the issue of this on Tik Tok I got 175,000 views, which just goes to show just how much interest there is in the site.
“At this stage, I am reliable informed that demolition will begin as early as May, but at the end of the day I just want the thing flat."
He added: ”It’s been a blight on the town for too long, and should never have been allowed to go on this long.
“I have seen a lot of sites like this in towns across the Midlands that local authorities have turned a blind eye to, until one local voice starts raising concerns."
The decision to develop this almost 20-year eyesore of a former cement plant was granted to Petrogas — the parent company of Applegreen — on 7 March, however within a month An Taisce – the Irish National Trust – chose to appeal this to An Bord Pleanala.
The €17m plan was build a motorway services and distribution warehouse on the 1.49Ha (3.67a), to include Ireland’s largest EV hub, with 36 spaces, and is expected to provide up to 400 local jobs during construction and subsequent operation.
All this on a site that has been empty since 2007, derelict since a fire gutted most of it in 2012, and where the parent company first applied to the council to re-develop for something similar in 2015.
This was granted in early 2016 but the company subsequently withdrew this application after an appeal against the €750,000 development levy failed at An Bord Pleanala, as Applegreen argued their responsibilities in this area should have been just €127,000.
Petrogas applied again, and though were initially opposed by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE), the council eventually granted the permission in March.
