A new manufacturing and engineering factory in Portadown – which would be expected to create 20 new jobs – is to be recommended for approval this week.
Proposals by Dawson Manufacturing and Engineering Ltd – for a site at the Carn Industrial Estate on the Charlestown Road in Portadown – were submitted to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in June last year.
Given the scale of the new facilities, a pre-application notice had been submitted prior to the formal application being made.
The specific location is “lands adjacent to and east of 1 (AJ Power) Charlestown Drive, Portadown, and 25m south east of 22 Ballynacor Meadows, Carbet Road, Portadown”.
It is currently described as an “industrial serviced site”.
The intention is to build a new manufacturing and engineering factory. The proposals also include an office block, together with canteen and toilet facilities.
Car parking will be included within the site, together with an area for lorries to load and unload.
Dawson M&E Ltd is one of one of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers of bespoke stainless steel products, carrying out work right across Ireland.
The application indicates the new factory will be used for manufacturing and engineering needs in relation to healthcare, sterile services, catering, food, education, pharmaceutical, conveyor and industrial packaging systems.
The factory itself would stretch to close to 52,000 sq ft in terms of floorspace, the majority of which is designated for production.
The application indicates that the number of staff on site daily would increase by 20 – from 30 to 50.
According to information in the pre-application notice: “The access to the site is off Charlestown Drive that leads into the existing industrial estate.
“The yard area will be concreted and the car park at the front and side of the building tarmacked. The front area and side next to the office block and car park are to be landscaped, and the area next to the front fence to the entrance gate and area next open space landscaped.”
The proposals would represent a major investment and significant jobs boost for the area if given the go-ahead.
The application has been studied in-depth with planning officials of the opinion that it should be allowed to proceed.
That is the recommendation which will go to ABC Council’s planning committee when it sits on Wednesday.
