DRINKS GIANT DIAGEO has warned that further delays to its planned ‘time-sensitive’ carbon neutral brewery for a greenfield site outside Newbridge, Co Kildare “will jeopardise the rationale for this €200m investment in Ireland”.

A spokeswoman for Guinness producer made the comment today arising from An Bord Pleanala informing parties that a decision on the case has been deferred until 20 November.

Diageo secured planning permission for the project in March. However, an appeal made in late April has stalled the project.

An Bord Pleanála initially pencilled in a decision date of 28 August but in its letter to parties, An Bord Pleanala has stated that it “has not been possible to determine the case within the statutory objective period due to a current significant backlog in cases at board level”.

The letter adds that “this backlog has arisen in the context of reduced capacity at board level in the first half of 2023 due to a turnover of board personnel in that period”.

The letter further adds that “capacity at board level has since been restored by appointments of new members and the board is now addressing the existing backlog of cases. The board regrets the delays in determining cases.”

The Diageo spokeswoman said: “We are deeply concerned that An Bord Pleanála has extended the period for it to determine the case for Ireland’s first purpose-built, carbon-neutral brewery in Kildare to November 20th.”

She added: “This project is time sensitive and further delays will jeopardise the rationale for this €200 million investment in Ireland, to grow our global beer brands while meeting our targets to be Net Zero by 2030.

The spokeswoman remarked that “the benefits of the project to the local community, Irish jobs, trade and sustainability are compelling”.

It’s intended that the new brewery for Littleconnell would provide up to 1,000 jobs during the 20-month construction period and lead to the creation of a further 70 jobs when operational.

The new facility, which would operate 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, is to brew lagers and ales including Rockshore, Harp, Hop House 13, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny and Carlsberg.

Diageo says the proposed new brewery is central to its corporate plans, with its St James’s Gate facility becoming restricted due to its historic city centre location. The new brewery would allow the transfer of lagers and ales to the new facility.

Appellant John Lynch of Cloney, Athy believes that the brewery should instead be built in Athy.

In response to the appeal, McGill Planning has asked An Bord Pleanala on behalf of Diageo that it be dismissed, telling the appeals board “there is little merit to many of the grounds appeal made, which in the main stem from the appellant’s conviction that the proposed brewery should be located in Athy not Newbridge”.

McGill Planning has stated that a separate appeal by Sustainability 2050 should be declared invalid as the appellant made no submission when the case was before the local authority.