Louth County Council is to decide later this month on the first planning application for what many people believe will see the creation of a new town on the northern edge of Drogheda with a population of 20,000 by 2013.
The application, in the name of Eileen Kelly, is for 629 residential units, some 260sq m of retail use, 1,858sq m of office space and a creche, all on 17 hectares at the Twenties, Drogheda.
It is part of a 254 hectares land bank that makes up the north Drogheda environs and is subject to a local area plan. The bulk of the lands are owned by the consortium named North Drogheda Environs Group (NDEG) whose members include Euro Construction and Manor Park Homes.
Last October the council entered into a legal agreement with NDEG that will see the provision of €141 million of infrastructure as well as over 7,000 new homes.
The bulk of the lands are owned by NDEG and six related planning applications were lodged with the council before Christmas. If granted they would see the creation of nearly half of the 7,000 units ranging from one bedroom apartments to fourbedroom detached houses.
The applications are for the three neighbourhood centres, a linear park and other public parks and the residential units.
The largest single application is for 1,056 units from North Drogheda Development Partnership. The council insists no development shall begin before the construction of the link road from the M1 to Drogheda Port and the environmental impact statement on that is currently at the public consultation stage.
The decision on Ms Kelly's application is due in two weeks.