A substantial site with planning permission for a new town centre immediately adjoining the county Meath town of Kells is to be offered for sale at €1,750,000 by JP McDonagh of agents GVA Donal O Buachalla. The unusually large 26- acre (10.48 hectares) site was assembled during the property boom by building and civil engineering group Lagan, along with Cusack Homes and Finbar McLoughlin. Lagan is thought to have subsequently bought out the other two shareholders. The site, which is likely to have cost over €15 million to assemble, is located at the rear of Bective Street in an area known as Backlands.

Most of the land is located in an area zoned for commercial use and a 10-year permission was granted in 2010 for 15,833sq m (170,000sq ft) of retail and commercial buildings.

The anchor store proposed for the site will have a ground floor area of 56,016sq m (54,000sq ft). The initial permission also provides for 39 townhouses and 160 apartments.

Kells is a relatively small town with a population of around 5,000 and a full range of sporting and leisure facilities. Commuters using the new motorway to Dublin can make the journey is less than one hour.