Landmark project would be home to 1,500 residents
Plans for a massive development that would provide new homes for more than 1,500 residents in Lissywollen, Athlone, were lodged with An Bord Pleanála last week.
The 576-unit proposal is the biggest residential project ever envisaged in Athlone, eclipsing the 426-unit Castlestar scheme in Coosan which was granted planning permission last October.
The Lissywollen project by Alanna Roadbridge Developments would consist of 285 houses and 291 apartments and duplexes, and would be located beside the existing Brawny housing and facilities such as the Athlone Regional Sports Centre, Athlone Town FC Stadium, and the Scoil na gCeithre Maistrí Gaelscoil.
If approved, the landmark project will see the creation of 402 homes for the private housing market, along with 174 social housing units.
In a statement, Brawny Homes Association, a group representing Brawny residents says it is “very disappointed with the plans submitted to An Bord Pleanála” last week and says it will be making a submission to the planning board on the application.
Work on preparing the planning application has been underway since 2019. Now that the application has been submitted under the fast-track Strategic Housing Development process, a decision on it is expected by June 15.
If approved, the first part of the project to be built would be a new road, Lissywollen Avenue, which would run through the centre of the 17.6-hectare development site.
This would create a new route linking the Athlone Regional Sports Centre roundabout on Ballymahon Road with the Garrycastle roundabout at the Spar convenience store.
The residential units in the development would have a projected population of 1,567 people and would consist of 50 four-bedroom homes, 254 three-bedroom homes, 212 two-bedroom homes, and 60 one-bedroom units.
The buildings would vary in height, with the tallest rising to five storeys at the entrance to the development site on the approach from Athlone town.
According to the plans, the 576 homes are to be divided into five distinct 'character areas' in order to "create visual interest and a sense of place" throughout the development.
These character areas would be known as: Lissywollen Crossings, Lissywollen Callows, Lissywollen Village, Lissywollen Berths, and Lissywollen Station.
An "urban plaza" is proposed in order to form "a central public space" at the heart of the development. A Community Hub building is also planned, along with two childcare facilities designed to provide 145 new childcare places.
Six new connections are due to be created between the housing development and the Old Rail Trail cycleway, which runs alongside the southern boundary of the development site.
The plans make provision for 752 car parking spaces, "including dedicated disabled, electric charging, visitor, and car club spaces."
In a statement on Wednesday last, Westmeath County Council said the submission of the planning application represented "an important milestone in the delivery of a housing project that Westmeath County Council, through its Housing Capital Team, has been working to deliver for some time."
It said the development would create new housing on a site that is "ideally and centrally located in terms of easy access to the broad range of services and facilities that Athlone has to offer."
Full details on https://lissywollenshd.ie/
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