Council to spend €50m on new town

Cork County Council is to spend €50m creating a new town which will ultimately have more than 5,000 houses, shops, four national schools, a secondary school and railway station.

Details of the long-term plan, which could take up to 20 years to reach fruition, include a novel clause to help young families get on the housing ladder.

According to senior council planner Nicholas Mansergh, developers will be told to build some houses at Monard which can be extended as families grow.