Further expansion approved at Zoetis

Tullamore-based pet health firm Zoetis has been given planning approval for another major expansion of its manufacturing facility in the town.

The new plans were given the green light by Offaly County Council's planning section on February 28 last, subject to 12 conditions.

The proposal could add up to 90 jobs to the Tullamore facility at the IDA Business & Technology Park in Sragh.

It follows a similar expansion, approved in January 2022, and which is currently under construction.

Zoetis Belgium S.A. (Irish Branch) just before Christmas sought permission from Offaly County Council for extensions and modifications to its existing permitted project to comprise a 8,000 square-metre extension to the manufacturing facility given planning approval twelve months ago and which is under construction as well as a 754 square-metre warehouse extension.

Approval was also given for 60 extra parking spaces.

A development contribution of some €159,000 is sought, whilst prior to the commencement of the development, the developer should submit for the written agreement of the planning authority details of all the proposed fencing, walls and other boundary treatments for the current development and for the site subject to the previous planning approval.

The planning application noted that the “intent of the facility is to expand and enhance the emerging biopharmaceutical campus to include both clinical trial activities and production research activities.”

The latest development involves a single-storey extension of 8,090 square metres adjacent to the approved and under construction manufacturing facility and which would add another 90 personnel to the 100 expected to be created by the first phase of the expansion.

The construction of the new project is expected to take some 18 months, with construction staff numbers likely to peak at 450. It is envisaged the new extension could be opened by 2025, subject to planning. The company said it was planned to build the development on “an accelerated schedule”.

The twelve conditions include a requirement that construction work take place between the hours of 7am and 6.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1.30pm Saturday only.

The applicant is also instructed to provide a minimum of 10% of the proposed car parking spaces with electrical connection points to allow for elecrtic vehicle charging