The development of a EUR460m (£405.4m) sports and leisure venue in County Tipperary, Ireland, has been given the green light by state planning authority, An Bord Pleanála.

North Tipperary County Council approved Richard Quirke's proposals for the project last November, although objections were submitted by An Taisce and local residents. An oral hearing into the plans has now cleared the scheme, which is to include a 500-room hotel with resort-style casino; an 18-hole golf course; and a greyhound track.

An all-weather racecourse with a National Hunt track and sprint track is also among plans, although permission for a 15,000-seat arena has been rejected by the planning authority. In its ruling, An Bord Pleanála said the proposed entertainment venue would be located in an "inappropriate location because of the pattern and volume of traffic generated".

Independent deputy Michael Lowry TD welcomed the decision to approve the main venue, which he said would "transform the economic, cultural and social life of Tipperary and the entire region". "Consultations with interested parties and preparatory work on various aspects of the scheme have been ongoing and will now be accelerated," Lowry added.