THERE HAS been an overwhelmingly positive local response to An Bord Pleanála’s green light for the Chinese trade hub at Creggan, Athlone.
Politicians, businesspeople and residents welcomed the project’s potential to create jobs, increase trade and boost the local economy, and urged the promoters to chase the necessary investment to finalise the development.
The town’s mayor, Alan Shaw, said the project had “the capacity to have significant implications for the future economic and social development of south Westmeath and Athlone especially”.
Westmeath county councillor Gabrielle McFadden said 1,200 jobs in the construction phase would be “absolutely fantastic” for Athlone, and that the hub would “open up the town to the rest of Europe”.
She said she was sorry that some objectors near the site were unhappy with the decision, but the development was for the greater good of the town.
Her enthusiasm that the completed project would bring US and European visitors requiring restaurant tables and hotel beds was echoed by John McGrath, president of Athlone’s Chamber of Commerce.
Phase one of the development would be hugely beneficial to his members, he said, adding that the growth of the hub would be “orderly and sustainable”.
Having access to hundreds of Chinese businesses in one location was more sustainable than the current situation where 1,000 multinationals were sprinkled around the country, he said.
“Rates will be quite significant,” he added, indicating the benefit to the town council’s finances.
Westmeath County Council’s cathaoirleach, Mark Cooney, said he could see no downside to the project. “An Taisce had concerns about transport, but it’s as good a location as anywhere,” he said, adding that the project had been well researched for a strategic site and was not “a hare-brained scheme for a few random acres outside the town”.
Westmeath’s county manager, Danny McLoughlin, said the planning authority’s job in “enabling” the proper planning and development of the site was over, and responsibility now moved to the developers to see the project to fruition. The site was well serviced and had not been selected by accident, he said.
Shoppers in Athlone yesterday were unanimously pleased.
“I’m delighted, it will provide a lot of jobs, it’ll bring a lot of business,” said Philip O’Donoghue of Drumm, who described the project as “just the right thing at the right time”.
“Houses will be sold, people will get jobs – I hope it goes ahead the way it’s planned.”
Philip Galvin said: “It’s just brilliant. It’s a positive move for Athlone. I think there’ll be a lot of employment made out of it.”