Plans to make Portlaoise the country's leading transport hub, with the possible creation of 5,000 jobs, will be presented to Laois County Council in the next few weeks.
A €250 million development on the outskirts of the town, which was first mooted last year, will come before Laois County Council planners for consideration.
A national and international group of investors and developers are spearheading the project, which will see a 250-acre site transformed into a transport and logistics park just off the junction of the M7 and the M8.
The plan is to make Portlaoise the national focal point for freight and other transport services.
"This is the biggest thing ever to happen Portlaoise, and it is very welcome," said Laois County Council chairman Willie Aird (FG) yesterday.
The development will include a purpose-built transport logistics park, retail development, a hotel, a motorway services centre, and tourism and leisure facilities.
A light rail system will connect the site with Portlaoise town and Iarnród Éireann is expected to install a service depot. A park-and-ride site is also earmarked.
Laois County Council flagged the idea last year and it has spent much of the intervening period talking to investors and developers.
At least one local businessperson is thought to be heavily involved in the plans, but the bulk of the money is coming from international sources.
Full details will emerge in the coming weeks when the plan is put before the council. The land has already been zoned by the council to cover this type of development.
The park will be located just off the Portlaoise town roundabout on the M7, the point where the M8 Dublin to Cork motorway will meet the M7.