A €1.5 billion development plan for Clonmel, which could potentially see the creation of 3,500 new jobs, is to go to a special meeting of South Tipperary County Council this month.
The proposal is for a self-sustaining village similar to Adamstown in Co Dublin, with 3,500 homes to be built by 2028. Like Adamstown, the developers say services such as schools, shops and community centres will be built before the homes are built.
The project is being headed up by Don Davern, son of former minister for education Noel Davern, who made a presentation to councillors on Friday night.
Mr Davern said he had secured €120 million to date from Irish and international investors.
He claimed the project would put south Tipperary on the map as a "beacon of technology and environmental sustainability".
"We view this as the greatest vote of confidence ever in Clonmel and south Tipperary. We hope that the councillors back our vision."
Mr Davern said they would create the new jobs in the software development, bio-technologies and back-office financial services sectors.
Provision has been made for 750,000 sq ft of office space and 250,000 sq ft of research and development facilities. Mr Davern said he had already attracted two companies who would provide 300 jobs.
The proposal will go to a meeting of South Tipperary County Council on September 17th for adoption on to the draft development plan.
The project would involve the rezoning of 400 acres of agricultural land just outside Clonmel.
The former mayor of Clonmel, Senator Phil Prendergast, said local people needed more information about the development.
"It's certainly a very ambitious proposal, but there needs to be more meat on the bone."
Local Fine Gael councillor Derry Foley said he would oppose the plan. "I'm not happy about the scale of it. We'd end up with a system of a new town and old town, and the old town will die."
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/365cc36e-0bb8-4fb2-871b-ed273b2b038f.png)