New food storage facility at Annesborough Industrial Estate

The planning application was lodged back in August 2020 by Carlin Planning, Belfast, on behalf of MM Freight Ltd, who are based in the industrial estate, and planning permission was finally granted on January 25, 2024.

The new facility is to include a head office, service yard, overflow parking area, fuelling bays, wash bay, guard lodge, wash tank, substation, as well as an employee and visitor car-parking area.

The planning report states that the primary use of the approved development is solely for the provision of a food storage warehouse and distribution facility.

The planning application had been previously deferred, which is why it took so long for planning permission to be granted.

On December 12, 2023, 28 employeees of MM Freight wrote to the planning department of Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon (ABC) Borough Council to impress upon planners the need to facilitate plans for the new facility, in order to safeguard jobs.

They stated in their letter: “I am an employee within MM Freight, and following the deferral of [the] planning application, myself and colleagues are concerned regarding the security of our jobs and future employment within Lurgan, and more specifically Annesborough Industrial Estate.

“MM Freight is imperative to the livelihoods of over 300 local employees and their families. This does not include the indirect employment.

“Annesborough Industrial Estate has been an invaluable economic asset to Lurgan and the wider Craigavon area for well over 30 years. The application site was one of the first industrial uses within the estate.

“Over 500 people lost their jobs in the last few months, due to the closure of Morgan McLernon who operated at another location within the estate. This has had a significant knock-on impact on the local economy.

“The proposals brought by MM Freight seek to offset this impact by proposing a scheme that represents an investment of between £8m-£10m, and will generate considerable jobs during both its construction and operation.

“It is important that the voices of existing and future employees are heard in this process.

“Given this is a planning-compliant scheme within an area zoned for this exact use and within a long-established industrial estate, we agree with the planning officer’s recommendation to approve the application.

“I hope this letter of support is given due consideration, and the application will proceed to approval by Planning Committee.”