NAAS 20 February 2003: Some 200 jobs are to come to Naas following a decision by Naas Town Council to sell 8.5 acres of its land on the Newbridge Road to Aldi Ltd for a retail warehouse and distribution centre.
Of this, some 160 will be recruited locally.
In the deal, Naas Town Council will receive E2.738 million for the land, which was ceded to the Council in the 1999 Town Plan. It also has potential to bring E3m in benefit to the town and a rates income to the Council in the order of E400,000 per annum.
The site is close to the motorway interchange at New Hall but has road frontage to the Newbridge Road.
Long term access will be via the proposed new link road. However, Aldi will build a short term access road which will be handed over to Naas Town Council at a later stage. This access road will also provide access to other Council owned rezoned lands which it intends for use by small indigenous industries.
The sale was recommended by Council officials and met with unanimous approval of councillors on Tuesday. However, Cllr Seamie Moore said the money should be kept for community requirements such as schools or social housing and not for infrastructural development, which is the responsibility of the Government. Cllr Mary Glennon said she had specifically asked to see the three evaluations obtained by town clerk Declan Kirrane. She said it was unfair to ask councillors to make a snap decision like this. In spite of her reservations, she voted for the sale to Aldi Ltd.
Cllr Pat McCarthy called on the NRA to have proper sign posting on the motorway so traffic to the facility could by-pass Naas town centre.
Mayor Timmy Conway called the deal ‘a win, win situation for all’.
The managing director of Aldi Ltd, Donald Mackay was present in the public gallery for the decision.
