€150m Drogheda business park opens

A NEW 40-ACRE business park, which will cost up to €150 million to develop and has the potential to create over 1,300 jobs within five years, has been officially opened in Drogheda by the Minister for Justice, Equality & Law Reform, Dermot Ahern.

The Boyne Bridge Business Park - located off the M1 in Drogheda - will eventually have 74,320sq m (800,000sq ft) of offices, starter units and logistical warehousing.

The park is to be developed by P A Bello, part of a consortium of companies headed by managing director Kevin McNulty which has completed a range of housing and commercial projects in recent years, including 14 industrial buildings at Clondalkin Business Centre and 14,864sq m (160,000sq ft) of commercial buildings at the M1 Business Park in Balbriggan.

The park's strategic location off the M1 linking Dublin and Belfast is likely to prove crucial to its development.

The buildings to be developed have been designed to give a broad appeal, ranging from small start-up commercial units to office-based companies and large logistical buildings.

Office blocks, including some designed as corporate headquarters, will be concentrated along the main entrance. They will range in size from 464sq m (5,000sq ft).

About 30 own-door starter units with sizes from 200sq m (2,152sq ft) will cater for a range of small businesses from tradesmen to administrative-based companies.

Rents will be carefully structured to help new companies and in many cases will include a rent-free period of up to a year.

The warehousing buildings will offer considerable flexibility and will be available from 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft).

Some of the building will be designed for trade counter and showroom operations.

Mr Ahern told a reception in Drogheda that it was very encouraging to witness new business having the courage and foresight to recognise Ireland as a viable and commercially attractive location for business. With the potential for 1,350 new jobs to be created, it was a huge and positive boost for the area and our economy as a whole.

The park has been designed by Project Architects which also handled the Park West office and commercial development and the nearby Liffey Valley office campus. The letting agent will be Lisney.