Over 60 new homes mooted for Coosan area

Over 60 new homes of “high architectural quality” are proposed for a prime site in Coosan.

Blue Ridge Developments Ltd have signalled their intentions in a newly lodged application for 62 new units, a mix of terraced, semi-detached houses and duplex apartments on a four-acre greenfield site along what's described as Coosan Link Road, Clonbrusk, on land, it's understood stretches behind the Bloomfield Drive estate.

The new plans come against the backdrop of the recent approval of 426 homes a short distance away on land adjacent to Buccaneers rugby club, to the north of the Coosan Road in the townlands of Coosan, Cornamagh, and Clonbrusk despite a huge wave of local opposition.

While much smaller in scale, should the latest proposals progress it would mean close to 500 homes could be built in this area in the future.

In the newly revealed plans, Blue Ridge Developments says what it seeks to create is “a high quality residential apartment development in an established and well serviced location” by providing homes of “high architectural quality”.

The firm, which lists a director as Diane Dolan, with a company address of Cornamaddy, Athlone, maintains that the surrounding district of Coosan is similarly comprised of predominantly residential development which is characterised by suburban homes made up of houses, duplexes and apartments.

“The most recent developments in the area include The Glen, a residential development with a mixture of unit types and sizes further east along Coosan Link Road as well as the Glenatore development further west along Coosan Link Road,” the developer states in a large amount of planning documentation lodged in support of the project.

“These are similar in nature to this proposed residential development which proposes a mixture of three and four-bedroom homes along with own door duplex and apartment units,” it adds, pointing out that the blocks are generally two-storey plus attic level with three-stories.

The 62 units earmarked would contain a mix of housing types, including 28 four-bedroom semi-detached houses, 6 four-bedroom terraced houses and 16 three-bedroom terraced houses.

Another six two-bedroom own-door apartments would also be provided along with a half a dozen three-bedroom own-door duplex apartments.

“All units will be grouped around the civic heart formed by a central amenity space or tree-lined avenues,” the plans lodged on January 19 states, also referring to a landscaped walkway and attractive green space in the documents.

Access to the homes would be via an existing entrance located centrally along Coosan Link Road, which it's proposed to move “eastwards away from the junction to form an improved access to the site” which is zoned residential and is surrounded by established estates on the south, south east, and north west. It is located 400 metres north of the N6 Athlone bypass.

A total of 110 car parking spaces, bicycle parking, refuse storage and site development works and services also form part of the plans which are due to be decided by Westmeath County Council by March 15.