Ballymena’s economic win: Planning first step approved for JAQ Group’s new £11M factory

CGI of JAQ Group’s proposed new £11 million fragrance manufacturing facility on Moorfields Road, Ballymena.

In a transformative development for Ballymena, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s Planning Committee has granted outline planning permission for a new £11 million fragrance manufacturing facility on Moorfields Road.

Spearheaded by JAQ Group, led by local entrepreneur Connor Martin, the project is poised to create up to 300 new jobs, delivering a substantial economic boost to the town and reinforcing its status as a hub for innovative enterprise.

The decision, made during the committee’s meeting on Thursday, 4 August 2025, follows a robust debate that saw local leaders rally behind the proposal, overturning an initial recommendation for refusal from council planning officers.

Site location for the proposed new JAQ Group factory off the Moorfields Road, Ballymena

Site plan for the proposed new JAQ Group factory off the Moorfields Road, Ballymena

The new facility will serve as JAQ Group’s primary manufacturing hub for its fragrance and skincare products, complementing its existing operations at Craigstown Industrial Estate near Randalstown, where it currently employs 230 staff, rising to nearly 300 during peak seasons like Black Friday and Christmas.

JAQ Group, an e-commerce holding company, has achieved remarkable success under Martin’s leadership. Its flagship brand, The Essence Vault, has grown into a £100 million enterprise since its inception in 2019.

The company has also launched Thomson Carter, which generated £5 million within 16 months and was selected as Rolls-Royce’s Fragrance Choice, and Liquid London, which reached £2 million in just seven months and was named TikTok’s Beauty Brand of the Year.

The proposed Moorfields Road facility will enable JAQ Group to meet growing demand while doubling its workforce to approximately 600 employees.

Ballymena entrepreneur Connor Martin founder of JAQ Group, and brands The Essence Vault, Thomson Carter, and Liquid London

Connor Martin, a Ballymena native and JAQ Group’s founder, expressed his commitment to the town earlier this year in a statement to Love Ballymena:

“As our business continues to grow it’s important that we reinvest and develop our brands and our inspired fragrances.

“To fulfil those growth plans, The Jaq Group requires a purpose-built facility for production. The site we have proposed is off the Moorfields Road, Ballymena, where we hope to construct a new manufacturing facility, storage and office space.

“We realise that this is only the beginning of a process, but as a native of Ballymena I am keen to bring further investment and jobs to this area. This development involves significant economic benefits – 300 new jobs and an investment of £11m in the construction of this facility.”

The planning application faced initial resistance from council officers, who recommended refusal, citing conflicts with the Mid and East Antrim Local Development Plan 2030.

Their report argued that the proposal was not regionally significant and was inappropriate for a rural location, referencing policies such as the Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland (SPPS) and specific countryside and transportation policies.

Concerns were raised about the site’s access to protected routes and the availability of alternative zoned lands, such as those at Woodside Road.

However, passionate cross-party advocacy from local representatives, including TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston, DUP East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, Alliance Councillor for Braid Chelsea Harwood, Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland, and DUP Braid Councillor William McCaughey helped move the committee to approve the application.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Gaston underscored the project’s economic significance:

“Since planning was devolved to council, this is the first time and the first opportunity to make a decision that will bring a £100 million into Mid and East Antrim, alongside an £11 million investment to build a state of the art, purpose built facility that will allow this company to double its 300 strong workforce in the years ahead.”

Mr Gaston challenged the planning officers’ assessment, arguing that the development’s scale and job creation potential qualified it as regionally significant under policy EPC4 C.

He addressed concerns about road access, noting that a nearby three-acre business park demonstrated safe vehicle ingress and egress:

“That clearly demonstrates to me that vehicles can safely ingress and egress onto this road. The DFI road concerns about this protected route should therefore be addressed at the detailed planning stage and not become a barrier today. I have no doubt that appropriate engineering solutions should do exist and will satisfy any DFI concerns they raise.”

He also dismissed alternative sites, such as those at Woodside Road, as unsuitable:

“Invest NI will only sell to their customers ruling this applicant out of being able to access and purchase these lands. The site at Woodside Road measures 13 hectares but 4.3 of those hectares are overgrown with trees, three hectares are liable to flooding and the remaining hectares are split into segments which would then split this proposal into different areas of the site which doesn’t work.”

Gaston further highlighted the unique requirements of JAQ Group’s operations, noting that the high-value and hazardous nature of fragrance manufacturing necessitated an independent site to mitigate risks like theft and fire.

East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson reinforced this, challenging the officers’ claim that the 300 jobs represented only a 0.7% increase in local employment:

“It’s not every day that the committee or the council can be presented with a proposal which creates 300 manufacturing jobs in the borough, especially given the job losses that there have been over the years. …”

“Now, it just mentioned in the officers’ report, it was said that this only represents 0.7% increase in the jobs in the area. But the question is, what is a significant development mean? If we’re talking about that, does it have to be 10%? Are they then saying that any proposal which does not give 4000 new jobs … what’s the level you’ve got to reach to be significant? … You couldn’t get any closer to edge of town than this particular site.”

Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland further supported the proposal, emphasising its alignment with the Local Development Plan and the unique needs of JAQ Group’s operations:

“I believe this proposal can be fully justified within [the Local Development Plan], and that refusal would represent a huge lost opportunity of significant scale for both local and regional economy. …

“The scale of this proposal bringing that figure of 300 jobs to Ballymena, I would argue, is highly significant in a location marked by high levels of deprivation. …

“The handling and storage of ethanol also brings with it very specific safety and security requirements. …

“The applicant’s experience in the current site demonstrates that in terms of transportation … they have shown significant willingness to make specifications of DFI and will work with all the statutory bodies to ensure that … sites are safe and compliant.”

Cllr Chelsea Harwood echoed these sentiments, emphasising the project’s transformative potential:

“This is a significant investment in Ballymena and it has the potential to bring up to 300 jobs, which is exactly the kind of positive news we need.

“JAQ Group has already proven itself as a successful local business and this new facility will allow them to expand and create even more opportunities for people in our area.

“I fully recognise the concerns raised about planning policy, but I felt the economic and social benefits of this project outweighed those concerns. It is vital that Mid and East Antrim is seen as a place that welcomes investment and supports local businesses to grow.

“I am delighted to see the committee support this application and I look forward to the benefits it will bring for Ballymena and the wider area.”

Alderman William McCaughey, a DUP Braid councillor, underscored the broader vision for Ballymena:

“This proposal would bring over 300 jobs and an initial £11 million investment to the Braid area of mid and east Antrim. It is not an abstract development; it is a chance to create opportunity for our people. …

“This is about restoring enterprise to Ballymena.

“Connor, the entrepreneur behind this, took his initial steps on this journey at one of our Christmas markets on one of our stalls. His business outgrew us once before, and we lost him to another borough.

“He seeks to return to his home town, established and, ready to grow once again. If we as council cannot create those conditions, what message does that send about us, as a place to invest to other entrepreneurs?

“… Connor has built a business from nothing to a multi-million turnover in five short years. That is exactly the kind of story we want to tell about our borough.”

The approval of outline planning permission marks a critical first step, with detailed planning to address technical aspects like road access and site design to follow.

The decision is expected to yield significant economic benefits, including an estimated £40,000 in annual rates income and substantial job creation during both the construction and operational phases.

Local leaders have hailed the project as a testament to Ballymena’s entrepreneurial spirit and the council’s commitment to fostering economic growth.

For Connor Martin, the approval represents a homecoming investment:

“Now that the time has come to invest in his existing premises, to meet growing demand, Connor wants Ballymena to reap the rewards of this significant investment,” Mr Gaston told the committee.

With JAQ Group’s continued success and this new facility, Ballymena is poised to solidify its reputation as a thriving centre for innovation and opportunity in Northern Ireland.