Centre of Excellence building for Nenagh still in the pipeline

A SITE at Martyrs Road, Nenagh, on which a multi-million euro research centre to tackle climate change is to be located has yet to be acquired by Tipperary County Council.

The site, once the headquarters of Abbey Machinery Ltd, is earmarked for the new Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Energy.

The plan, promoted by Tipperary County Council, has been in the pipeline for a number of years but construction cannot start until the site is acquired by the council.

In reply to queries on the timeframe for the commencement of construction by Cllr Phyll Bugler at the January meeting of Nenagh Municipal District, the district’s Administrator Rosemary Joyce said it was hoped to acquire the site soon.

Ms Joyce said a design team had been appointed to progress the project.

The project has been provisionally allocated just over €9.5 million funding under the Urban Regeneration Development Fund.

The scheme is being led by the council in partnership with Tipperary Energy Agency, North Tipperary Development company, the Technological University of Shannon and Community Power and Siga Ltd.

The council says the centre of excellence will host a range of public agencies working collaboratively to deliver innovative solutions for training and development in sustainable development and tackling climate change.

The building is a key part of a plan by the council to develop a new and modern urban core at Martyrs Road that will have links to the existing town centre.

Ms Joyce said she expected to see progress on the project in the first half of the current year.

Cllr John Carroll said the delivery of the new national centre of excellence provided huge potential for Nenagh and North Tipperary as a whole.