Plans underway for 1,058 new homes beside Cú Chulainn’s Castle in Dundalk

Plans are underway for a Large-scale Residential Development (LRD) on lands beside Cú Chulainn's Castle in Dundalk that if given the go ahead, will see the construction of 1,058 new homes, three new retail units, a community/medical unit, and a childcare facility.

Grandspect Limited has applied to Louth County Council for planning permission for the development at Castletown Road, Dundalk, for a 10-year permission at a site of c. 38.89ha (96.1 acres), bounded generally by the Castletown Road/R934 to the north, Mount Avenue and Cú Chulainn’s Castle 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. 

Cú Chulainn’s Castle is a protected structure, listed in Louth County Council's Record of Protected Structures, RPS ref: LH00701. Cú Chulainn’s Castle is not within the application site or ownership.

The proposed development comprises 1,058 dwellings, consisting of 765 houses, 150 duplex units, and 143 apartment units. The 765 houses comprise 10 two-bedroom bungalows; 34 two-bedroom, two-storey houses; 547 three-bedroom, two-storey houses; and 174 four-bedroom, two-storey houses.

The 150 duplex units comprise 33 one-bedroom duplex units; 75 two-bedroom duplex units; and 42 three-bedroom duplex units, located in three storey buildings.

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The proposed 143 apartment units comprise 78 one-bedroom apartment units, and 65 two-bedroom apartment units, located within four apartment buildings ranging in height from four to six storeys in height.

Two duplex units include an option to accommodate a temporary childcare facility at ground floor level if required.

The application includes plans for a local centre, comprising three retail units, a community/medical unit, and the provision of a stand-alone childcare facility in a two storey building.

Two new vehicular entrances are proposed to serve the development forming new junctions at Castletown Road/R934 and Mount Avenue respectively.

The development includes plans for a of public open space of c. 5.1Ha (12.6 acres) within the residential development, including provision of a playing pitch; provision of a Heritage Park on the lands surrounding Cú Chulainn’s Castle to the east, and incorporates a Standing Stone, listed in Louth County Council's Record of Protected Structures as a protected structure, RPS ref: LH00700, within the Heritage Park.

The planning application also provides for 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 ESB substations; bin stores; provision of a foul sewage pumping station; and laying a foul rising main along Castletown Road from the proposed new access to the development.

A decision is due on the application, which is at a pre-validation stage, by 31 January 2026, with submissions due by 9 January 2026.