Plans have been approved for 741 city centre apartments in Dublin.

It is part of a development of the 'Connolly Quarter' close to Connolly Station.

An Bord Pleanála announced on Friday that it granted planning permission for the mixed-use scheme - which will also include offices, a hotel and retail units.

It will be built under the fast-track Strategic Housing Development scheme.

Image: Ballymore

Seventy-five of the units will be for social housing.

The planning application was part of an overall scheme for homes, two office buildings along with a hotel, and over 20 retail and amenity units.

Developer Ballymore says the project will create over 1,000 direct construction jobs for five years.

Image: Ballymore

The development will also be the new home to Docklands Boxing Club and St Joseph's O'Connell Boys GAA Club - both clubs will have state-of-the-art new facilities.

It is thought that on completion, around 5,000 people will live in and/or work in the area.

Dublin Chamber, which represents more than 1,300 companies in Dublin, has welcomed the approval.

Image: Ballymore

Its head of communications, Graeme McQueen, said: "The Connolly Quarter development is a perfect example of the kind of smart city planning that is badly needed in Dublin.

"Sites like this, positioned within the heart of the city and close to good public transport connections, are ripe for high density development.

"There is big demand for accommodation in the centre of Dublin, which this development will help to meet."