A NEW PLANNING report has strongly advised that Drogheda be granted city status to help with its economic growth and development.

Dr Brian Hughes, a development expert, says the latest census figures show that the population of the greater Drogheda area is 83,000 meaning that the Louth town has a larger population than that of Waterford city.

The report was commissioned by the Drogheda City Status, a group which has been campaigning to end what it claims is the “nightmare” dual administration of the town.

The report also highlighted how the former borough of Drogheda, together with the adjoining Louth and Meath rural areas, have increased in population by almost 80% between 1996-2016.

This, the report claims, is in comparison to the average national increase was 31.22%.

The towns of Laytown, Bettystown and Mornington in east Meath have been earmarked for development. It is expected that the populations of these area will surpass 15,000 in total by the next census in 2021.

Vincent Hoey, chairman of Drogheda City Status group, said: “We are living in an urban conglomeration of over 80,000 people but we have no effective joined up thinking to plan sensibly for the future because our local government is divided between Meath and Louth.