Louth County Council yesterday confirmed it has reached agreement with a consortium of private developers that will see €141 million of infrastructure, including a link road to the M1 motorway, being built in a new town to the north of Drogheda.
The North Drogheda Environs Group (NDEG), which consists of a number of property developers including Manor Park Homes and Euro Construction, owns 90 per cent of the 254-hectare landbank that is subject to the Drogheda North Environs local area plan.
The plan allows for the population of Drogheda town to grow by 20,000 over the next 15 years.
Under the plan agreed between the NDEG and the council, a 30-acre regional sports campus as well as significant upgrades of Drogheda's water and waste-water infrastructure will be provided.
However, the construction of the Port Access Northern Cross road between the M1 motorway on the north side of Drogheda and Drogheda port is the most significant piece of infrastructure and will open up the landbank which comprises the northern environs.
It is estimated the road will reroute more than 3,000 heavy goods vehicles which currently pass through Drogheda town centre on a daily basis. In the past the trucks making their way from the port have used "rat runs" through residential areas.
The port access road will cater for vehicular, cycle and pedestrian lanes, and run from Tom Roe's point on the northern side of the port to the Drogheda north interchange with the M1.
The environmental impact statement for the road is in draft form, but is to be published before the end of the month and will, with the compulsory purchase order, be submitted to Bord Pleanála.
If an oral hearing is held by the board it could delay the start of construction, but the council is hopeful that it will commence next year and the road could be open for use in 2010.
A number of planning applications have been lodged with the council in the last two months for various developments in the Drogheda north environs.
At a meeting of the county council yesterday, director of services for infrastructure Joan Martin said there would be no development of the lands by the consortium until work on the road began.
Council chairman Jimmy Mulroy (FF) said the plan represented "a new way of doing things, where vital infrastructure is delivered at the same time as houses are being built".
Mayor of Drogheda Anthony Donohoe (FG) said the new parks and sports facilities would be "a great asset for the entire town".