Councillors in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown tonight voted to rezone land to allow for the expansion of biopharmaceutical company Amgen and its neighbour the National Rehabilitation Hospital.
The 16 hectares, at Rochestown Avenue and Pottery Road in Dun Laoghaire, was rezoned to allow for medical facilities and economic development by a vote of 16 for, five against. It had been zoned to protect and improve residential amenity, with a 1.2 hectare plot, known as the Workman’s Club lands, zoned for open space and amenity.
The proposal to rezone the land was put forward by Amgen and the hospital with support from the Health Service Executive and the Industrial Development Authority.
Some 120 beds will be provided as part of the redevelopment of the hospital, which is the national centre in Ireland for primary rehabilitation for adults and children. It is to sell part of its lands to Amgen to fund the expansion. And a more ambitious plan for the development of the hospital, given planning permission in 2008, will not go ahead.
Amgen, which currently employs 300 staff at the former Pfizer plant off Pottery Road, had told councillors at a private presentation last week that it had "no specific plans at this point" to extend its plant, but the rezoning of the land would provide scope for future investment and employment. Over 100 submissions had been received by the council as part of the public consultation on the rezoning, including from residents, some of whom attended the meeting.
