The Cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Eugene Regan, has spoken out in favour of a proposed development for the 78-acre Dún Laoghaire Golf Club, saying it will be "a shot in the arm" for the area which has been affected by population decline.

In June, Cosgrave Developments lodged a planning application for 856 homes on part of the Dún Laoghaire Golf Club lands in south Co Dublin.

The golf course, which the developers acquired in exchange for a new 300-acre course in Co Wicklow and a cash payment of around €20 million, is one the largest housing developments proposed for Dublin and will eventually have over 1,700 homes and 20 acres of public park.

There have been a lot of objections to the first phase of the golf club lands but Regan believes that many of the concerns can be addressed in the planning process. He said the alternative would be a "derelict site in the heart of Dún Laoghaire for years to come". He said the development would go some way to address the lack of new residential units being built in the area.