Naming a new housing development Cyber Plains said it all. Since the arrival of Hewlett Packard and Intel, the north Kildare village of Leixlip has been transformed from a small outpost of Dublin with a local, almost rural atmosphere into a virtual hub of activity with a young international community to beat that of many European cities.

With a combined workforce of over 5,500 - about 60 per cent of whom live within a five-mile radius of the computer companies - the population of Leixlip and its environs has seen significant growth. Couple that with 25 and 27 being the average age of the workers in Intel and Hewlett Packard, respectively, and it's not surprising that the restaurants and pubs are doing a strong business.

It is, however, the housing market which has changed the most dramatically. Local estate agent Gerry Leahy believes that the coming of Hewlett Packard and Intel to Leixlip has had a huge impact on the area. "There has been a huge increase in the number of people living and renting in the area, which has had an impact on prices," he says. Investors also moved into the former dormitory village to meet the need for rented property at a time when most other commuter belts weren't receiving such interest.

Mr Leahy mentions how when houses in Cyber Plains, a development of three-bedroom and four-bedroom semi-detached and detached homes on the edge of Leixlip, first came on the market last year, people were queuing overnight to pay deposits.

"We sold the entire 200 houses in two days," he explains. Prices ranged from £104,900 for three-bedroom semis with 1,025 sq. ft to £150,000 for four-bedroom detached homes.

Writing two and a half years ago on the impact of the computer giants on the area, this reporter noted how houses showed an increase of more than 10 per cent within a few months. While such increases may now seem relatively tame given the more recent price surges, they were significant at the time. Now, some Leixlip estate agents are talking about prices doubling over the past three years.

Three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes, which were selling for £70,000/£80,000, are now fetching £140,000/£160,000, according to Gerry Leahy, who specialises in new homes in the area.

Arthur French, of French Estates, says it is difficult to differentiate Leixlip's boom from the overall property boom. However, he says, residential property prices have increased by about 60 per cent in the past two to three years and rental prices have increased by 60 to 70 per cent. "People are paying £800 for two bedroom apartments and between £600 - £1,000 for three-, four and five-bedroom homes," says Mr French.

Nearby Celbridge - which was seen to be the place to aspire to from many Leixlip housing estates - has also seen dramatic increases in house prices. The sale of 24 of the 30 homes in a Cosgrave development of four-bedroom and five-bedroom houses at Temple Manor within a week of going on the market earlier this month is testimony in itself. Prices ranged from £199,000 to £239,000.

However, despite such evidence, estate agents are saying that Leixlip has jumped ahead of Celbridge, mainly due to its two train stations and easier road access.

With this particular part of the Liffey valley now dubbed Europe's silicon valley, young people growing up in the area can also aspire to staying in the area to work themselves. "There is a whole new emphasis on this side of the city which has been complemented by places such as the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre," says Mr Leahy.

Some of the traders in Leixlip itself are, however, bearing the brunt of such larger commercial developments. And in spite of the new street-scaping, the village has perhaps not regained the commercial viability it enjoyed before the main west of Ireland traffic transferred on to the motorway. "The problem is that the street `improvements' have reduced the car-parking in Leixlip and I have lost all the passing trade from people coming and going to Intel because there is nowhere for them to pull in and park on the main street," says Damian McCaffrey of Spar. Open from 6.45 a.m. to 11 p.m., Mr McCaffrey does however concede that his late-night business has developed over the three years since Spar opened.

A significant percentage of workers from Intel and Hewlett Packard also commute to work from places such as Maynooth, Kilcock, Enfield and from places further afield such as Mullingar, Athlone, Kinnegad, Tullamore and Portlaoise. These well-paid commuters have contributed to the smaller property booms in these towns.

"I wouldn't say anybody at Intel has more than a 40-minute commute to work, which is good by Dublin standards," says Liam Cahill, media relations manager of Intel.

The next big change has just begun to impact on the area. The young workforce of both computer companies are now beginning to start their families. "Intel has been in the area almost 10 years but it is only in the last two has there been a demand for creche facilities," says Liam Cahill.