COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 12, 2009

QUESTION NO.3

QUESTION: Councillor S. Crowe

To ask the Manager in view of the recent official opening of a data centre for Microsoft in Grangecastle Business Park will he give a report outlining the work and investment that involved this Council in creating these exceptional and sought after modern facilities?

REPLY:

In the early 1990’s the Council recognised the need to develop and promote industrial Development and job opportunities in the West Dublin area.  The Council had over the years, acquired a sizeable land holding in the Clondalkin area which has been earmarked for Housing, Roads, Community & Industrial purposes. The Industrial land which is now Granges Castle has been and is marketed inconjuction with IDA Ireland with a view to attracting major multi-national companies with high employment opportunities into South Dublin.

To date seven contracts have been entered into and with the result that the Park is fully serviced and is a strategic turn key site in the Dublin Area for FDI and Major Indigenous Projects

Over the years through the strategic purchase of adjoining lands the area of the Park has increased dramatically and now extends to over some 500 acres.

This vision and commitment of resources by the Members and Council management in developing a world class business park succeeded with the announcement in 2000 that the Wyeth Biopharma Campus was to locate in Grange Castle.

This was followed by the arrival of Takeda Pharma Ireland Ltd, Aryzta AG (Cuisine De France) and the recent opening of Microsoft of their first Data Centre outside of America has added further to the reputation and prestige of Grange Castle Business Park.

It is the Policy of the Council that the Park is developed to the highest modern standards of design and construction and that the Park is presented to suitable clients as a risk free opportunity for development.

The costs incurred to date on land acquisition and provisions of infrastructure are as follows:

Land Aquistions                                        €41,1945,676.40

Site investigations                                            €668,597.07

Promotional/Misc (Master Plan etc)           €3,071,829.49

Consultants                                                    €3,202,524.54

Contracts                                                      €43,147,036.42

Management Building                                     €290,703.42

With the income from disposals to date and other receipts is set out hereunder:

Wyeth                                                          €22,675,700.00

Takeda                                                           €7,246,223.00

Takeda 2                                                      €11,833,200.00

IAWS                                                             €8,299,289.00

Microsoft                                                    €10,206,000.00

ESAT                                                                €194,400.00

Eirocm                                                               €144,000.00

Services                                                         €3,470,283.00

                       

The remaining 300 acres approximately in the Park is now fully serviced and available to the market and represents a substantial asset both in land holding and financial potential to the Council.

Ireland and South Dublin are facing competition worldwide in attracting major foreign direct investment and with ever increasing cost of services and labour the Council is now relying more on the strategic location and quality of services of Grange Castle Business Park.

It is important that the Council continue to keep pace with international developments and provide an overall environment of high quality development and landscaping with all the associated facilities and infrastructure.  The strategic investment in infrastructure has significantly enhanced the park and enables the IDA to use this investment as a successful marketing tool when identifying and sourcing foreign direct investment.  It has also resulted in the creation of a long term asset to the Council.  These enhancements are essential to enable the Council to continue to deliver superior facilities and remain in the forefront of Business Park provisions and remain competitive on a worldwide scale in attracting major inward investment.

As already stated Grange Castle Business Park continues to be marketed internationally by IDA Ireland.  It is one of only four strategic sites for large scale inward investment in the Country and the Council works in close co-operation with IDA on all FDI projects which are considering locating Ireland.