Fine Gael, Sinn Fein and Independent councillors shot down the developer's original proposals for a 70-acre development in the Derryguile/Derrycloney area of Mountmellick which included plans for a hotel and a public house. Fears were expressed about the likelihood of seriously increased traffic congestion in the area if an industrial estate of that magnitude was allowed to be built.

The revised plans exclude the hotel, the public house and retail units included in the initial submission. The Centrum development will now comprise office accommodation and warehousing and is expected to take two and a half years to complete.

According to Owenass, the development will create 1,000 jobs and will be worth in the region of 100m to the local area. Support for the revised plans was virtually unanimous, with only one councillor voting against the proposals.

Fianna Fail councillor Paddy Bracken voted in favour of the revised plan.

"The company's development is a vital piece of infrastructure the town has been crying out for. I'm 100% supportive of the proposals from the company to bring jobs to the