The Proposal

Along with the 170sq.m of co-working office space ready to hire on the second floor of the building, there is also an opportunity for further development.

Further Development

The site, owned by the company, is one third occupied by Roche Manufacturing Ltd. A building comprising of a manufacturing facility, retail outlet and the existing office space. There is approximately 1.6 acres unoccupied and undeveloped land. This land is zoned for commercial and industrial use. It is located close to the centre of Mountbellew and is ideally situated for further development. Numerous possibilities for the productive use of the site were considered including rental use, housing and warehousing. However, it was concluded that in the best interests of the company and the community that it would be best put to use by generating local employment; employment which is needed in the area.

Proposal

We propose a development of office space for use as co-working spaces or satellite/outreach offices for larger multi nationals and or governmental services looking to decentralise their workforce from the cities and larger towns. We believe that up to one hundred jobs could be accommodated in a suitable premise. In order to do this, we would need significant buy-in or commitment from the aforementioned larger companies and or government departments in the region.

A key component of the project would be the development of crèche facilities on-site to accommodate those requiring childcare offering an accessible option, with the aim of increasing overall wellbeing of the family and reducing barriers for those with childcare concerns who wish to return to work/remain in employment. This development could be a flagship project with potential for similar projects in rural towns and villages nationwide. The advantages of such a development would be numerous. They could be encapsulated under three headings.1) Economic 2) Social 3) Environmental.

Economic Advantages

  • Enrich the overall economic viability of the town and its environs.
  • Provide local employment.
  • Support the native industry – agriculture, which has seen decline.
  • Create a catalyst for further development in the area.
  • Reduce costs to employers in the form of less expensive office space and overheads.
  • To capture the human resource asset for the employer and the community at large.
  • Enable people to choose to live in a rural community.
  • Reduced pressure on existing office space in urban areas.
  • Reduced fuel and wear and tear costs involved in a weekly 350km commute.

Social Advantages

  • Substantially reduce the time spent commuting to larger urban centre for employment such as Galway, Athlone, Tuam, Roscommon.
  • Improved family life – eliminating the lost time commuting (up to 260 hours per year)
  • Improving employee wellbeing – particularly for those struggling to maintain full time employment alongside family commitments including caring for children and the elderly.
  • Create a social outlet for professionals within the community.
  • To reduce workforce attrition due to employee stress/commitment conflicts. Reduce barriers to those who wish to remain in the workforce – a particular challenge due to the commute to rural communities.
  • To improve the quality of life of people in the area.

Environmental Advantages

  • Reduce fuel consumption and carbon footprint generated by long and congested routes (up to 18,000Km per car per year).
  • Reduce need for road maintenance due to large volumes of traffic.
  • Reduced traffic congestion around flagship offices
  • More spacious work environment – reduced to cost of office space per square metre.
  • Potential reduction in necessity for a second vehicle in a household.

Site Proposal

It is our proposal to build office spaces with crèche facilities on the land owned by the company in Mountbellew. This can be completed on a phased basis depending on what is considered viable. In order to achieve this, we need to secure the following:

  1. Land – we already have approximately 1.6 acres of land
  2. Planning Permission – the land we have is zoned for commercial use. Pre-existing planning for a unit but has elapsed.
  3. Finance – Funding from government agencies such as rural development funding or leader funding and from private investors.
  4. Budget – initial estimates cost the project at €1.2 million to €1.6 million.
  5. Employers – commitment from companies who require use of the facility going forward.
  6. Local Support – from the commuting population and local community development organisations.

Conclusion

This preliminary proposal will be circulated to various bodies and companies inviting feedback and suggestions as to how we should proceed. It is believed that this project would have significant impact, enhancing the community of Mountbellew and its hinterland substantially. It will strengthen the economic viability of the town while improving the quality of life and overall wellbeing of its inhabitants. Equally importantly are the environmental benefit, substantially reducing the carbon footprint of the community. We will endeavour to adhere to our ethos of “Bringing the jobs to the people not the people to the jobs”.