Louth County Council grants permission for 765-home scheme at Castletown Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth

In context

It is one of 77 housing scheme applications Louth County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 1,577 nationally. Of the 3,037 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 79% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 22 July 2026. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues. The applicant sought a 10-year permission, which sets how long they have to start the development.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Louth County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

Large-scale Residential Development Application (LRD) - see www.northdundalklrd.com - for a 10-year permission at a site (c. 38.89ha) bounded generally by the Castletown Road/R934 to the north, Mount Avenue and Cú Chulainn’s Castle (a protected structure - RPS ref: LH00701) to the east, Greyacre Road to the west, and existing agricultural lands to the south within the Townlands of Newtownbalregan, Castletown, and Farrandreg, at Mount Avenue, Castletown. The development proposed comprises of 1,058no. dwellings consisting of 765no. houses total (10no. 2 bedroom bungalows, 34no. 2 bedroom 2-storey houses, 547no. 3-bedroom 2-storey houses, 174no. 4-bedroom 2-storey houses), 150no. duplex units (33no. 1 bedroom duplex units, 75no. 2 bedroom duplex units 42no. 3 bedroom duplex units) located in 3 storey buildings and 143 no. apartment units (78no. 1 bedroom apartment units, 65no. 2 bedroom apartment units located within 4no. apartment buildings ranging in height from 4 to 6 storey’s in height. 2no. duplex units (unit type Q) include an option to accommodate a temporary childcare facility at ground floor level if required; a local centre comprising 3 no. retail units (c. 459sqm, 240sqm and 230sqm respectively) and a community/medical unit (c. 245sqm); provision of a stand-alone childcare facility in a 2 storey building (974 sqm); 2no. new vehicular entrances are proposed to serve the development forming new junctions at Castletown Road/R934 and Mount Avenue respectively; provision of public open space (c. 5.1Ha) within the residential development, including provision of a playing pitch (c. 1.17Ha); provision of a Heritage Park on the lands surrounding Cú Chulainn’s Castle to the east (Cú Chulainn’s Castle is not within the application site or ownership and is a protected structure (RPS ref: LH00701)) and incorporates a Standing Stone (a protected structure - RPS ref: LH00700) within the Heritage Park; all associated and ancillary site development and infrastructural works, hard and soft landscaping and boundary treatment works including internal roads and streets (including an Arterial Link Street connecting with Castletown Road/R934), public, communal, and private open space; a mobility hub with provision for EV Charging is provided at the local centre; car parking (including EV charging), bike parking; public lighting; 10 no. ESB substations; bin stores; provision of a foul sewage pumping station; laying a foul rising main along Castletown Road from the prop