In what is a boost to local job creation, work on phase 1 of the development recently got underway. A commencement notice was lodged with Laois County Council a number of weeks back, announcing the intention to being construction on January 25 last.

Planning permission was granted for the development in November, 2008 which will eventually involve the construction of six shops and the licensed discount foodstore with a gross floor area of 1,530 sq. metres. The proposed development will be accessed via Kylekiproe Road. The entire development is to be served by 349 car parking spaces.

Despite a billboard sign declaring that Aldi is to locate the store there, a spokesperson for the company said they had no comment to make on the development. Heavy machinery has now been moved on site and site notices etc are also in place. Construction work is being carried out by the JSL Group Ltd, a Galway based building and civil engineering company which has completed around 30 Aldi stores in the country.

The company recently completed a number of local projects including Mountrath Community School, Portlaoise College and is currently working on an An Post project in Portlaoise.

Brian Gorman, contract manager for the Aldi project in Portlaoise, said around forty jobs are involved in the construction of the store - a welcome boost to the beleaguered local economy.

The JSL Group expects to be finished construction by the end of May and he anticipated that a fit-out of the store would only take a matter of weeks after that.