Expansion plans approved for blue chip company

Plans for a new facility at Randox Laboratories Limited's Crumlin base were today given the go-ahead.

The £15million investment proposal will be an extension to its existing facility at Diamond Road to accommodate a manufacturing laboratory, office, storage and associated siteworks.

The application was processed by the Strategic Projects Division at Planning Service headquarters in just over five months.

Environment Minister Sammy Wilson said the granting of the application again demonstrated how the Planning Service was playing its part in fostering economic growth.

The Minister said: "I would like to pay tribute to the strategic projects team which once again has demonstrated that the Planning Service is willing to play its part in greasing the wheel for economic development.

"The Planning Service should get the credit it deserves when it helps progress quickly, key economic projects which can generate jobs, especially during a time of severe international recession."

Randox is a leading edge local bio-technology company with a 600 strong workforce exporting to over 130 countries worldwide.

The Planning Service's Director of Strategic Planning Tom Clarke said: “It is important proposals representing inward investment, particularly in the current economic downturn are processed as quickly as possible.

"This decision and our handling of other application shows just how committed we are to doing this.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The application was made in February 2008. However, it was incomplete until the submission of the full Environmental Statement on 3 November 2008.

2. The application while not an Article 31 was considered to be strategically significant and dealt with by the Strategic Projects Division.

3. For media enquiries contact DOE Press Office tel. 028 9054 0003 or out of office hours contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.