A new £2.5m mushroom production facility in Augher has been given the planning go ahead by the Mid Ulster District Council’s Planning Committee. The new mushroom research, development, growing and distribution facility on the edge of Augher represents a £2.5 million investment in the region and will result in the creation of up to 50 new jobs. Speaking after the Committee’s April meeting, Chair of the Planning Committee, Councillor Martin Kearney, highlighted the benefits. “These latest decisions will benefit not only the Dungannon area but the whole district in terms of economic growth and the creation of additional jobs both directly and indirectly. The decisions emphasize the fact that planning at a local level can create larger scale outcomes that will benefit the entire Mid Ulster area and help to create a sustainable economy.”
The company behind the plans is Cornacrieve Mushrooms. Owned by Emyvale man Peadar McGee the business was set up 20 years ago and since then has won a series of awards.
Their bid for planning permission was backed by Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neill and First Minister Arlene Foster, in a letter which is believed to date back to her time as Finance Minister.
One letter of objection raised several concerns including traffic generations, noise and lights, the environmental effects and the effects on the increase of traffic on the main road.