Westmeath county councillors have given the go-ahead for a "new town" on the outskirts of Mullingar.
Over 500 hectares of land at Robinstown, on the outskirts of Mullingar, will be transformed into a new urban centre that has plans to house 5,000 people. And a new "urban quarter" will be included in the plan which was endorsed by councillors yesterday.
Fianna Fáil members opposed the plan, which was passed on a vote of 12-6. It was carried on the votes of Fine Gael and Labour members.
The design of the Robinstown area action plan features designated districts of industrial and commercial premises in scenic parklands. The planned high-quality residential homes will surround these parklands, and there will be over 100 acres of recreational amenity land and sports grounds.
At some point in the future, Cusack Park - the home of Westmeath GAA - may be relocated from its current site in the centre of the town to a location adjacent to the Mullingar bypass. This would open up a new entrance to the Robinstown town centre, and would also allow for a bigger stadium that could be accessed from the N4 bypass.
Landowners have been told they will be the big winners when the development begins. A local delivery vehicle is to be established to ensure that landowners and developers are kept appraised of the ongoing plan.
However, there has been some local resistance to it, with two farmers standing to lose substantially with the loss of their land.
National farming figure Dan McCarthy, who is also a Labour councillor, abstained from yesterday's vote, citing concern for the farmers who will be affected by the development.
The plan has been dubbed a European style-development, and one that aims to prepare Mullingar to capitalise commercially on the town's growing population.
Mullingar's proximity to Dublin means that it has become an attractive location for people who work in the capital.
However, house prices have rocketed in the town in recent years and there is considerable pressure on local schools to cater for the rapidly increasing numbers of children of schoolgoing age.