Diageo, the brewer of Guinness and a prominent drinks corporation, is now poised to move forward with its planned EUR 200 million brewery in Newbridge, Co Kildare.
The sole objector to the brewery, John Lynch, a farmer and undertaker, opted to withdraw his legal action following productive mediation discussions with Diageo. His opposition to the Newbridge location was rooted in his belief that the brewery should be located in Athy, Co Kildare, citing environmental concerns and employment concerns for Athy.
Diageo had announced plans to build Ireland’s first purpose-built carbon-neutral brewery on a greenfield site in Littleconnell, Newbridge, Co. Kildare in July 2022 (inside.beer, 15.7.2022) and obtained planning permission for the brewery project in March 2023. However, the project's progress was halted when Mr. Lynch lodged an appeal in April. In September 2023, the company cautioned that further delays in the approval process could jeopardize the EUR 200 million investment (inside.beer, 14.9.2023)
