Diageo unveils major new plan for Southside brewery

DRINKS giant Diageo has outlined their blueprint for a
major expansion of their current brewery site on the Southside that will
involve significant investment in the local area and the creation of jobs.

In conjunction with Dublin City Council Diageo has
prepared a masterplan for St James’s Gate in Dublin 8 that will involve the
construction of a new brewery at the northern end of the 22-hectare site.

The area covered runs from James’s Street to Victoria
Quay, close to Heuston train station.

Diageo prepared the masterplan in response to a key
objective of the Liberties Local Area Plan (LAP), which states that a
comprehensive masterplan is to be prepared as a pre-requisite to any planning
application for the area known as the Guinness North lands.

A spokesperson for the company told Southside People
that following consultation with Dublin City Council and local councillors
Diageo now intends to progress a planning submission for the redevelopment of
the brewery at St James’s Gate.

“The redevelopment of the brewery is one of the
options now under consideration for Diageo’s European brewing operations,

? the
spokesperson said.

“A decision to proceed with this option and to sanction the
required investment has not been made.

?

Diageo is currently undertaking a major in-depth review
and analysis of its operational requirements in Ireland.

According to the masterplan for the site, entitled

‘Diageo’s North Lands’, the company intends to retain the majority of its
operational activities in Dublin. The plan also states that the major benefit
of Diageo’s proposals will include the creation of major new brewing and
associated facilities in Dublin and investment in the South Inner City.

Cllr Ruairi McGinley (FG) said that by adopting the
plan the city council could ensure that regeneration would take place in the
South Inner City.

“The proposal will help to ensure that Guinness
brewing remains embedded in the life of the South Inner City and is a welcome
vote of confidence in Dublin,

? he said.

Cllr Criona Ni Dhalaigh (SF) called on Diageo to ring
fence jobs that will be created by the scheme for local people.

“Diageo are going to build there, which is going to
bring loads of jobs during construction and the whole revamp of the area,

? she
said.

“I want them to come up with a local labour plan whereby all efforts will
be made to employ people locally.

?

A spokesperson for Diageo said they always looked
towards employing local people.

“We would try to maximise any opportunity to do this,

?
the spokesperson said.

“We have done this recently in the Guinness Storehouse.

?