KILDARE: There is speculation that Applegreen will launch new plans for a Naas service station

The company behind a long delayed plan to develop a service station complex just outside Naas has declined to comment on reports that it is planning to make a new application for planning permission.

It’s believed the company remains interested in the proposal and  new documents seeking permission, possibly for a revised development, may be lodged with Kildare County Council before the end of this year.

Applegreen had planned to open a station and training centre - and create 400 jobs - at the former Cemex plant adjacent to the “big ball” monument on the Dublin side of the town.

Planning permission for the development was originally sought in 2015 from KCC but was subsequently withdrawn by the company.

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Earlier this year KCC official Eoghan Ryan said a masterplan for the site as well as the adjacent former Donnelly Mirrors site is nearing completion. 

“Applegreen is anxious to get in and talk to us,” he told a council meeting.

The former Donnelly Mirrors site is separately owned and the buildings that were there have been demolished.

But the masterplan, which will provide planning guidelines, is being prepared for both because they are adjacent to each other and former manufacturing sites.

The original plan sought the demolition of the empty buildings there and construct a three storey training hub, a logistics and food research facility,  loading bays, a two storey motorways services area and ten fuel pumps.

It also envisaged a children’s play area, 24 hour drivers lounge, restaurant/cafe, a drive-thru coffee facility and a shop.

The development was to  have parking spaces for 324 vehicles - though a quarter of these were designated for people visiting the logistics and office buildings - in addition to spaces for 38 heavy goods vehicles, 16 coaches and as many motorcycles.

Applegreen has been criticised by local politician Bill Clear over the site’s appearance which he likened to a “bomb site” though another councillor, Seamie Moore, said that the site was in that condition when Applegreen bought it.