Firm's $1bn biopharma extension sparks traffic concern

TRANSPORT industry bosses have expressed serious concern over the impact a Raheen- based biopharmaceutical firm’s latest $1bn expansion will have on surrounding roads.

Lilly Limerick is seeking permission for a major extension to its factory at the area’s industrial estate in a move which will add 150 jobs to the 300 permanent roles first promised.

The initial construction of the facility is well under way, with production expected to start next year.

Lilly announced last September its latest extension will create new roles for engineers, scientists, quality assurance professionals and operations personnel.

In Limerick, it’s anticipated Lilly staff will help produce medicines to assist people living with diabetes, obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.

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But its latest planning application has led to fears over how the surrounding roads - often gridlocked in the morning and evening peak - will cope.

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII), which monitors the safe and efficient use of national roads, wrote to council to say it feels the plans are “at variance” with the official policy around development near national roads.

“The authority is of the opinion that insufficient data has been submitted with the planning application to demonstrate that the proposed development will not have a detrimental impact on the capacity, safety of operational efficiency of the national road network in the vicinity of the site,” TII stated.

One person who has objected to the planning application wrote: “The sheer volume of traffic predominantly coming from this one factory itself is unbelievable”.

Off the back of this, council has ordered Lilly to provide more details on its traffic management plans.

For its part, agents for Lilly have pointed to existing studies they have done, which suggest the existing road network can accommodate the additional traffic.

The firm also says the plans encourage walking or using public transport to get to work.

Separately, four people based near the proposed facility in Raheen have written to council to express concerns around the appearance of the development and its impact on the environment.

One person described the initial building as having “the ugliest design I have ever seen”.

“It is a giant grey box with windows.,” they added.

A botanist who wrote to council claimed the area Lilly is developing on now resembles “a post apocalypic wasteland”.

Lilly through its agents have contested its proposals will not have any effect on the “integrity” of any naturally biodiverse site.