Council to take ownership of key town centre site today

Compulsory purchase of prominent Athlone site proceeds without objection

The redevelopment of a site that has long been described as "an eyesore" in the centre of Athlone will move a step closer today (Thursday).

This is the day when Westmeath County Council formally takes ownership of the former O'Neill's pub and Finlay Auctioneering site, at Mardyke Street and Pump Lane, which has been lying idle since the two businesses were destroyed by fire in December 2010.

The council unsuccessfully tried to buy the derelict site last year, and it subsequently started the process of acquiring it through a compulsory purchase order (CPO) earlier this year.

Director of Services Barry Kehoe confirmed to the Westmeath Independent last week that there had been no objections to the CPO and, as a result, the council would be taking ownership of the site from May 6.

He said the local authority would now be looking at how best to develop the site and, once a recommended use is agreed, it would be selling it to a developer who would carry out the work on it.

Reviving the site is seen as a key element of the multi-million euro streetscape revamp planned for Mardyke Street, Pump Lane, and part of Sean Costello Street.

"We will look at how the (O'Neill's) site might best be developed, and what mix of uses might be appropriate from a planning perspective," said Mr Kehoe.

"It would be our intention then to sell the site for development in accordance with a brief we would issue with the documentation for the sale of the site.

"We would hope that somebody would buy it, that they would see it as an opportunity, being adjacent to an area that's going to be enhanced substantially, and that they would build something there that would be appropriate.

"Hopefully all of that can happen in the next year to two years," said the council official.

Athlone's Mayor Aengus O'Rourke said he was "relieved" the CPO process had gone smoothly and was now "really optimistic" about the future of the site.

He said he was aware of businesspeople in the town who may be interested in acquiring it or had ideas around its future use.

"I have had prominent businesspeople coming to me in recent weeks and asking me who they should talk to in the council about some ideas that they might have for the site going forward.

"So I'd be very confident that we will see a really positive outcome for what has been an eyesore, and a real stumbling block for us, for more than ten years.

"It's in such a prominent area - and also the fact that we are spending so much money enhancing the area, along with pedestrianising Sean Costello Street to the front of it - makes it a very attractive proposition for somebody going forward," said Cllr O'Rourke.

He noted that the council had experienced "huge delays" with some CPO processes, "in particular on Connaught Street," and he had feared the O'Neill's purchase might be similarly drawn-out.

"I'm thankful that it wasn't, and that we will now be in full and rightful possession of the site which will allow us to put a meaningful plan together for it," he commented.