The site of the former Irish Sugar factory in Mallow, Co. Cork has been sold, according to a Cork county councillor.

Fine Gael Cllr Tony O'Shea told the monthly meeting of Cork County Council yesterday (Monday, July 13) that the purchase of the 145ac site was recently completed.

The issue was raised in a motion by Fianna Fáil Cllr Pat Hayes who had asked the council to investigate the feasibility of purchasing all or some of the old sugar site in Mallow.

However, Cllr O'Shea said this is not possible as the site, located 3.5km southwest of Mallow town, has been sold.

Sugar factory

Greencore closed its sugar beet processing plant in Mallow in May 2006, with the site left idle since.

The moved ended over 80 years of sugar production in the region and resulted in the loss of several hundred jobs.

The plant was the last remaining sugar processing facility in the State.

In 2023, Greencore put the lands at Newberry near Mallow Racecourse up for sale, some 17 years after the factory closed down.

The site was offered with a total guide price of €2.2 million through estate agents, Lisney who described it as a "significant development opportunity".

The majority of the buildings had been removed and remediation works were carried out for the restoration of the lands.

The property is in two main sections to the north and south of the R619 road and was offered for sale as a whole or in two lots.

The larger lot on the northern side of the road covered over 133ac and included 4 derelict two storey detached houses, a single storey office building and a single story warehouse/industrial building.

The majority of the lands are zoned for development, with the balance zoned as green infrastructure.

The other lot on the southern side of the R619 is 12.18ac and is zoned existing mixed/general business/industrial uses.

Sale

Cllr O'Shea has confirmed to Agriland that the buyer of the site is a "local Mallow man".

The councillor said he had liased with Greencore in recent years in relation to the "strategic site".

Cllr O'Shea said he will be meeting with the new owner next week to have a discussion around his future plans for the lands.

The councillor said he "fully supports" the sale and will work closely with the new owner and Cork County Council on any proposed development.