€138m whiskey storage plant promoters should explore Longford site after planning refusal
Published on: 07 February 2018
Fianna Fail Co Councllor, Joe Flaherty, is urging the project promoters for an ambitious whiskey storage facility in Co Westmeath to immediately engage with Longford Co Council with regard to bringing the development to a site already already identified by the developers in Edgeworthstown.
A planning application from the developers for Moyvore was rejected by Westmeath Co Council on Tuesday. As part of their planning application the developers made it known that they had also scoped a possible site for the project in Edgeworthstown.
The development is phase one in a €138m plan to create a major whiskey maturation facility. It is envisaged that there would be 20-25 jobs when phase one is completed and that there would be eighty jobs in the construction phase. The project promoters have commitments from three multi-national distillers who would fill 80% of the space in Phase 1. Then Phase 2 would include a museum and interpretative centre for the site.
Following the decision by Westmeath Co Council to refuse planning for the project, Cllr Flaherty said: “The development would fit perfectly with Co Longford’s fledging tourism and food sector. Panelto Foods have begun a major expansion at their Longford town plant and plans for the Lough Ree distillery in Lanesboro are advancing.”
The Councillor said the project is a perfect fit for Co Longford and added: “The message for the developers is that Longford is open for business. I am contacting our county manager, Paddy Mahon, and urging him to immediately engage with the project promoters with a view to getting this project for Edgeworthstown.”
The Longford Co Councillor is adamant that the Council needs to explore the possibility with the developers and added: “Longford is fighting back and we want it to be known that we are open for business. Our executive has shown with Center Parcs – the largest single tourism development in the country at the moment, that we can get the big projects over the line. I know that the project promoter, Alan Wright, is a proud Westmeath man but he won’t find a better address for his exciting plans that Edgeworthstown.”
