Planning permission has been granted to Intel for a massive 88,000 square metre facility at its Kildare campus.

The application is part of a bid to become the location of a new $4bn chip-manufacturing facility.

Intel's parent company has yet to decide whether it will proceed with the project, but it's understood that Leixlip and Israel are the firm's preferred locations for the facility.

Kildare County Council granted a 10-year permission for a similar project in 2013.

If it goes ahead it would create some 850 new full-time jobs, and 3,000 construction positions during the building of the facility.

Allan Shine, CEO of the County Kildare Chamber said, "This is great news for Kildare and further demonstrates that Kildare is the location of choice for existing and potential business enterprises.  I am confident that Intel Ireland will be successful in this bid as Kildare is primed for further development."

The company currently employs more than 4,000 workers in Leixlip.