Plans for a multi-million euro sports stadium in Drogheda have been lambasted as "premature" by the Irish roads authority. Due to the strain, it says, the development will put on impending traffic improvement schemes.

The proposed mixed-use complex, expected to cost in the region of €65m, has already been approved by Meath County Council.

The scheme includes a 10,000-seater Drogheda United stadium, leisure centre, retail units and a motorway service station, stretching over a 25-hectare site on the southside of the town.

The decision to locate the development on the Drogheda to Duleek road, and beside the Duleek road junction with the M1 has raised concerns within the National Roads Authority.

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The authority has claimed the motorway junction is expected to be the starting point of a huge new ring road.

A decision on the future of the development is not expected from An Bord Pleanala until next year.

But so far the only submission in opposition to the stadium has came from the roads authority.

NRA said the proposed €2bn Dublin Outer Orbital Road linking Drogheda to Naas "is likely to begin at the M1/R152 Duleek road junction", adding the stadium submission "is premature pending determination of this route".

The junction would require an upgrade to support the traffic flow predicted in the planning application, according to NRA.

However, the upgrade scheme is made more "complex and expensive" as it has been agreed under a public private partnership.

Drogheda councillor Tommy Byrne as called on the roads authority to withdraw its objection.

Despite failing to gain support from his council colleagues, to challenge the NRA, Mr Byrne will construct a letting detailing the council's backing of the stadium scheme.

(PR/JM)