Dun Laoghaire's getting an ''urban beach'' next year

Good (or bad) news, Southsiders - you're getting Ireland's first urban beach.

The €2.75 million development has been approved by An Bord Pleanala will see a man-made island created on Dun Laoghaire's East Pier and is expected to bring a whopping 150,000 visitors to its fake shores.

Based on Berlin's Badeschiff (that's the header image, btw), the idea is to create a man-made beach at East Pier alongside a floating river barge that patrons can swim in.

That water will be made up of seawater and will remain heated. There'll also be a cafe and a number of areas for deckchairs, with the entire area itself remaining open from April to September.

There's been some opposition to the plan already, with some councillors objecting to charges being placed on entry or use of the beach itself.

The beach itself is expected to open in April 2016, so get your deckchairs and swimming trunks ready.