LATEST: Bord na Móna reveals plans for new HQ in Newbridge, Co Kildare

Bord na Móna has committed its future to Newbridge, announcing that it has lodged a planning application with Kildare County Council for a new company headquarters off the town’s main street.

Bord na Móna has had a presence in the Newbridge for over 70 years and currently 240 people work at its offices in Newbridge.

The company said the landmark multi-storey building will be one of the most energy efficient headquarters in Ireland and enhance the town’s main street.

Bord na Móna consulted with existing employees on the design and facilities will include a employee gym, a mothering room, a sensory room, a prayer / meditation space and gender-neutral toilets and showers.

Chief executive Tom Donnellan, said: “As a climate solutions company we wanted our new headquarters in Newbridge to deliver the highest standards in energy efficiency, waste management and biodiversity.

“Our new headquarters is targeting a BER of A2 and will be a fossil fuel free building with renewable energy generation on site and a high efficiency heating system.

“Native Irish planting will be used in the external landscape to promote biodiversity in an urban setting and create vibrant spaces to be enjoyed by visitors.

“The new building responds to future climate and environment requirements while providing our employees with a progressive, modern, energy efficient and agile workplace of which we can all be proud”.

In May last year, Bord na Móna revealed it had launched a tender for designing an ambitious plan to open up its six-acre site as a public amenity space to be enjoyed by locals and visitors.

It said it planned a pedestrian route to link the Whitewater Shopping Centre area with the town’s cultural and amenity centres such as the Liffey Walk, library, Riverbank Theatre and St Conleth’s Park GAA grounds.

Also proposed was a vehicle route between Main Street and the Athgarvan Road to help reduce traffic congestion.

Bord na Móna said it would ask local schools for their ideas on biodiversity.

Welcoming the news of the HQ, local TD and Minister of State Martin Heydon said the plans were a “vote of confidence” in the town.

He added: “This is a very big decision by the company to commit its long term future to Newbridge, amid pressure for them to relocate away from Kildare. This development, should it get planning permission, will greatly enhance the street scape in Newbridge and is a great vote of confidence in the area.

“Bord na Mona’s transition from a brown to green strategy is future proofing the company to ensure it continues to be a very important employer across Kildare and the Midlands for generations.”

Dublin based Plus Architecture, which won the competition to design the new building, also carefully considered the heritage of Bord na Móna and the company’s evolution to a climate solutions company.

The new corporate headquarters will be built to the highest sustainable standards and will be a low energy building.

To reduce the building’s carbon footprint, the mainly timber structure will have a minimum usage of concrete and steel.