Pharmaceutical company Astellas has been granted planning permission for its new facility in Tralee.
The company announced in September that it would invest more than €330 million in the new, state-of-the-art facility at the Kerry technology park.
The building is to be constructed on IDA’s greenfield site in Dromtacker, and is expected to create over 600 construction jobs during the course of the build.
Astellas submitted plans for the facility at the Kerry Technology Park, Tralee in November.
Kerry County Council granted a ten-year planning permission for the development of a ‘fill-finish’ production facility over two construction phases.
This refers to the sterile process of filling vials with vaccines, medicines, or other drugs, and finishing the process of packaging the medicine for distribution to customers and patients.
It’s anticipated works on the 3-storey, almost 20,000sqm (19,989sqm total building floor area) building will commence in the first quarter of 2024; with the first phase of the development operational by the third quarter of 2027.
Phase one of development, will include the main operations and production building, with associated utility and service areas.
The second phase will see expansion of the warehousing function of the facility and fitting out of additional production.
The development also includes a central utilities building, woodchip boiler building, electrical switch room and ESB substation.
The company also plans to build a security office building, sprinkler pump house, and a waste water treatment plant.
Permission was granted for the facility subject to 20 conditions; these include contributions to Kerry County Council in respect of roads, transport, community and amenity infrastructure prior to commencement.
Development to be carried out 10 years from grant of permission; traffic management protocols; submission of revised proposals to include EV charging points, bicycle parking and sustainable development requirements; archaeological and environmental protection protocols; and connection to Úisce Éireann network prior to commencement.
Fine Gael MEP for Ireland South Seán Kelly has welcomesthe planning approval; stating this significant development is poised to enhance the region's economic landscape and bring a multitude of benefits to the people of Tralee and beyond.
