The landmark circular fourstorey OPW building extends just over 4,000sq m. The structure will include office space, a cultural/exhibition space and staff canteen as well a landscaped roof terrace on the third floor. A multi-storey car park is also proposed and a civic plaza on the ground floor also features in the planned development.

The OPW's architectural services section says the visual impact of the new structure will be reduced through the use of extensive planting features integrated into the roofing of the building. It will also have timber and copper cladding.

An atrium will provide a focus in the building and a planar glass wall will form the entrance elevation at the end of the civic plaza. This wall and the rooflight overhead will allow the atrium to function as a bright, central dynamic space.

A natural ventilation strategy has been developed for the building and the use of recycled air along with other heatsaving proposals could cut energy expenditure by half.

Plans for the town-centre development, lodged by Shaston Contracting Limited, include an anchor supermarket of 2,400sq m, 21 retail units from 87sq m to 217sq m, 607sq m of offices, a bar/cafe and 144 apartments on the 1.91-hectare site at Townpark South, Trim.

The development has an overall gross floor area of 24,638sq m and is arranged in 15 buildings ranging in height from three to four storeys, with some of the buildings interconnected. The anchor supermarket tenant will be SuperValu. Access to the new development will be via a proposed new road planned to run to the north and west of the site from Watergate Street to Newhaggard Road.

"Certainly there is a need for further development in Trim, " says local Fine Fail county councillor Seamus Murray.

He says the infrastructure is already in place to cope with largescale expansion. "This type of development won't put a huge strain on infrastructure anyway. With new sewage and water-treatment plants in operation for a few years now, I'm confident the town will cope comfortably."

Fine Gael county councillor Peter Higgins says there may be some concerns locally over potential traffic congestion. "I think we've probably dealt with those already. The new road we're putting in along the river will allow access from both directions and that should make traffic flow that much easier."

He believes there is a strong local requirement for more retail outlets. "At the moment we have Lidl on what was originally a ring road. Inside that we have a SuperValu and the competition keeps them both on their toes.

"Trim is, to a large extent, a dormitory town. At the moment, lots of people who travel from Dublin go into the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre to do their shopping.

Alternatively, local people travel to Navan and shop there.

"The population is growing.

At the moment it stands at between eight and nine thousand and it's anticipated that figure will reach 15,000 very soon. Commercially speaking, it would be amazing if we can't sustain what we have and a good deal more."

Independent town councillor Philip Cantwell disagrees on the question of a need for more retail outlets in the town.

"We already have a glut of shops in Trim. Far too many if the truth be told. Certainly we can do with a new supermarket. But this new development with all these extra retail units will have a devastating effect on existing businesses. That degree of trade simply doesn't exist in a town this size. We're talking about the same cake being divided up into smaller pieces."

Public representatives in the heritage town found themselves making national headlines in 2003 when the local council voted in favour of the construction of a 68-bed hotel across the road from Trim Castle, the country's largest medieval fortification. At the time, Cantwell was branded 'Dr No' by a fellow councillor because of his objection to the development.

"Trim is a rural town. A tourist destination off the beaten track. Some people are losing the run of themselves trying to turn it into another Navan. Trying to bring that about could result in Trim town losing its heart, " Cantwell says. He is sceptical about the town's ability to accommodate several hundred civil servants decentralising from the capital. "If we get an additional 300 hundred workers moving here, many of them undoubtedly with young families, where are the schools for the children? They're certainly not here."

Peter Higgins takes a more optimistic view. "We have good schools, good recreation facilities and soon now we'll have a new town centre."