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Glanbia has been granted approval for a €140m continental cheese manufacturing plant in the IDA’s Belview Science and Technology Park in Kilkenny.
Originally granted approval by Kilkenny County Council, work on the project was delayed when An Taisce and Friends of the Environment lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála.
Glanbia has welcomed the decision.
"This strategic partnership between Glanbia Ireland and leading Dutch dairy producer Royal A-ware will create a new route to market for the milk supplied by Glanbia Ireland’s network of 4,500 family farms and diversify its portfolio of consumer dairy products and ingredients as part of a Brexit mitigation strategy," the company said in a statement.
Dairy expansion
The appeal was based on concerns over the potential of the new plant to support further dairy expansion, which in turn could lead to an increase in emissions from the national dairy herd.
Glanbia argued that the Irish dairy system was key in providing nutritious dairy in a sustainable manner both in Ireland and abroad and pointed to the fact that Ireland has the lowest emissions/kg of milk solids in the EU.
An Bord Pleanála has ruled in favour of Glanbia and the project, which is a joint venture with Dutch group Royal A-Ware, has been given the green light.
Dutch-style cheese
The new plant is expected to develop Dutch-style cheese in 'Euro blocks' (13kg to 15kg), with 40,000t produced annually.
The facility will be developed on a 10ha site on Belview next to the existing Glanbia milk processing plant.
It was hoped that the company would be able to start construction work by next year, with the plant becoming operational by the end of 2022, but with the objection and pandemic restrictions, that timeline may have to be reviewed.
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