Published: Wednesday, 25th August, 2010 5:00pm

Plans set to be lodged for Chinese project within months

A planning application for the massive China project is expected to be lodged with Westmeath County Council within the next three months, the Westmeath Independent has learned.

Informed sources have indicated that the council's planning department has been put on red alert in anticipation of the massive planning application, which could utterly change the face of Athlone.

News of the massive international exhibition and trading centre, showcasing Chinese products, leaked earlier this year, and sparked massive worldwide media interest.

Locally, in recent weeks, rumours that the project was encountering difficulties have spread within the business community.

However, it's understood that the development remains very much alive and that planning permission will be sought by as early as the end of October.

Previously the Westmeath Independent exclusively outlined details of the project which its promoters aim to make "the greatest commercial and trade centre, tour centre, cultural centre, amusement centre and international conference centre in Europe".

Initial plans include a convention centre in the shape of a Chinese palace, two five-star hotels, apartments, a six-hole golf course, a railway station, two bus stations, a medical centre and a fire-fighting centre and a massive 180-metre-high tower.

At the core of the facility, though, is an exhibition area measuring 445,000 square metres, a commercial district measuring 264,000 square metres, a retail service area measuring 90,000 square metres and a residential area measuring 186,000 square metres.

The project incorporates four blocks, comprising an exhibition centre, a residential area, a retail service area and a commercial area with the residential area, retail service area and commercial area forming a triangle that encloses the exhibition area.