Council to offer 21 'affordable' homes in new Athlone estate

Westmeath County Council has announced details of a 21-unit 'affordable purchase scheme' at the new Dún an Rí housing development in Coosan, Athlone.

The local authority said the scheme would see the 21 homes being offered for sale at a price that is lower than their current market value.

The Dun an Rí development, which is currently under construction, is due to see a total of 426 homes being built on land bordering Buccaneers rugby club, in the townlands of Coosan, Cornamagh, and Clonbrusk.

The affordable purchase scheme will open to applicants next month, and the homes being offered are: Eight two-bedroom apartments; Four two-bedroom end of terrace houses; Two three-bedroom terraced houses; and seven three-bedroom terraced or semi-detached houses.

The scheme is being offered to first-time buyers "who do not own or have a legal interest in a dwelling".

In order to be eligible, households must have a maximum income ranging from €59,850 to €76,950.

The purchase price of each home "will depend on the household's individual circumstances but the council said the minimum purchase prices would be between €238,000 and €245,000 for the two-bedroom homes, and from €295,000 to €300,000 for the three-bedroom homes.

Applications for the scheme are being accepted via an online application portal only, and this will go live on Wednesday, August 16, at 12 noon. Applications will be accepted during a three-week period, until Wednesday, September 6. More details are available on the council's website here.

Another local affordable housing scheme, at Gort an Locha, Moate, will open for applications on Wednesday next, July 26. A total of 22 houses, all of which are either three-bed or four-bed homes, are being offered in the development at Lake Road.

The minimum purchase prices of the affordable homes in Gort an Locha range from €229,500 to €261,000, and income limits of between €63,056 and €71,606 apply to those availing of the scheme. More details here.