Developers claim 300 jobs could be lost by ten-storey plan refusal

Athlone could have lost out on 300 new jobs at a result of the council's rejection of a rezoning proposal to facilitate a ten-storey building at Station Road on Monday, a spokesperson for the developers behind the plans claimed this week. The spokesman for Aidan Kelly and Michael O'Sullivan described the decision by the council not to approve the change in zoning of part of the site as a "major setback" but they reaffirmed their commitment to progress the development. However, they claimed it their chances of securing two major firms who had been in talks about the site in major jeopardy. An insurance firm based in Dublin had declared it as their preferred provincial site but they had wanted drawings and permission within a time period and may now look elsewhere, the developers said. "It could be in the dust bin today. This decision could bury it," the spokesperson said of the 300 jobs that company could have brought to Athlone. Another major public body was also interested in the 10-storey development bringing the possibility of over 100 further jobs, the developers also confirmed. Stating they will take the case to An Bord Pleanala, the spokesperson said they were gratified that four members of the council had looked at the bigger picture. Confirming they will take the case to An Bord Pleanala, the developers spokesperson said they were gratified that four members of the council stood up looked at the bigger picture, and put the good of the town before the vested interests of a small group. Applauding them for their courage, the spokesperson said that nobody like to be shouted down by a mob, calling the scenes at the meeting as "unruly" and criticising the manner in which it was chaired. The developers also slammed two members of Athlone Town Council for what the spokesperson called, who they claim gave them unqualified support for the project prior to the meeting, but appeared to change their mind at the last minute in the face of the loud opposition. According to the developers the plans redrawn four times now put a "superb building" proposal before the council and it should have been left up to the planners to decide if the project goes ahead or not, instead of blocking their examination of the development for a verdict by the failure to change the zoning. The spokesperson said it begs the question about the ability for local representatives to lead us to gateway status and wonders what is the future for other people looking at bringing developments to Athlone. The site, the backers contended ticked all the boxes in terms of sustainability, it's location within Athlone's CBD, being close to the railway station and fitted the height policy of the council, but with the blocking by residents, they wondered what chance another proposal on a peripheral site would have of gaining approval. "Four members seem to have leadership qualities but the other four are not prepared to look at the larger picture," the spokesperson commented. "It really begs the question whether any sustainable development will get the go ahead in Athlone," he added, pointing out that of close to 20 residents objections to the plans, just one had inspected the file. The building would be four storeys high on the St Francis and Crescent side, the spokesperson also stressed slamming the amount of scaremongering locally in relation to the project. The backers spokesperson said people were entitled to object to planning but the vote meant the professional planners were not entitled to give their verdict on it, forcing them to issue a refusal. It will now go to An Bord Pleanala, but with two issues up for the decision, the zoning, and permission for the overall development the developers said their chances of success are lessened.