Construction jobs will be 'flying' into Co Offaly soon as Dublin and district benefits from the construction of another airport.

A plan to build an international airport in Co Offaly has cleared the first hurdle after a decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant it strategic infrastructure status.

The decision means the developers of the proposed airport at Tubber will be able to apply directly to the planning board and will not have to submit an initial application to the local authorities.

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The planned €200 million development, 20km east of Athlone and 80km west of Dublin, is a private initiative led by Tullamore-based architect, Patrick Little.

The 640-hectare site is in an area that An Bord Pleanála described as lightly populated and relatively level and is 640 hectares in area.

The airport would be situated close to the M6 motorway, and the project includes the construction of a railway linking it to the Dublin-Galway mainline rail route.

Travel time from Dublin to the new airport would be 65 minutes by road, and 45 minutes by train.

The project would cater for both passenger traffic and commercial cargo traffic.

The developers estimate the airport would cater to two million passengers a year by 2020.

An Bord Pleanála will hold oral hearings before deciding whether to grant permission. Mr Little said he was confident the project would get permission, that construction would commence in 2011 and that the airport would be open at the end of 2013.

(BMcC/KMcA)