BREAKING: Landmark Kildare industrial complex is being demolished for new development

The long closed Donnelly Mirrors site is set for redevelopment.

Work on the demolition of the existing structures at the former factory site on the Dublin side of Naas has started.

This is the first phase in a development which will likely see new commercial development at that location.

It is understood that the demolition phase will take until the end of February or early March next.

Donnelly Mirrors opened in Naas in 1968 and was a highly regarded and significant employer in the area.

It closed  at the end of  2007 with the loss of some 280 jobs.

At the time the Canadian owners of Magna Donnelly Electronics said production would  be switched to other Magna plants in the United States and Europe.

The site occupies almost 16 acres and it went for sale a decade ago with a price tag of €1.5m.

A representative of Edelvale Properties Limited, a locally based concern which owns it, said the company is looking forward to the development of the site “in a way that is workable and commercially viable.”

Asked what is likely to be provided in the long term said that the “ball is in the court of Kildare County council”, a reference to local development plans which provide for future land uses.

“This is the first phase of a long process to develop the site. It will be down to the county council to indicate what can be done but this must be workable”

Currently the area - including the former Cemex plant next door - is zoned for enterprise and employment.

According to Edelvale the next step will be for KCC to complete a traffic assessment at an adjacent roundabout and this will be followed by a masterplan for this site and the Cemex plant. The traffic assessment could be completed  by Christmas.

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The Cemex plant was the subject of an unconnected planning application by Applegreen for a service station and offices on its 3.7 acre site.

Edelvale indicated that all of the work taking place there is and will be done in complete compliance with all building and health/safety regulations.

It also pointed out that there have been a number of break-ins there, nobody is living in the premises and there has been a security presence there.

Fianna Fáil TD James Lawless previously called for an easing of land use restrictions to facilitate the development of both sites.

“This is one of the most strategic vacant land sites in Naas, the site was prominent and is one of the major gateways into Naas,” he said, adding that the development plan for Naas needs to be altered “to give the chance for viable industry, enterprise, and other employment opportunities to ensue,” said Dep Lawless.