Westmeath County Council seeks further clarity on Dublin Road retail and apartments plan

Westmeath County Council has requested further clarity on a number of issues relating to a proposal to develop 21 apartments and six retail units in a new building across the road from the TUS Athlone campus.

The council previously sought detailed information from the applicant, Trevor Allen, but, in a letter dated July 22, it asked for clarity on a number of additional points, stating that it was not possible to adequately determine the application based on the information submitted.

The proposed development would be located at the Dublin Road site of existing businesses The Good Cafe, Asian Foods Store, and Pat Smith Craft Butcher. These existing business premises would be demolished to make way for the proposed project.

Trevor Allen initially lodged a planning application for the five-storey mixed-use development last December, with the council seeking further information in February of this year. The council has now sought further clarity on three issues, and the applicant has until August 12 to respond.

The council previously requested that the front elevation of the development be set back in line with neighbouring properties and sought revised design proposals demonstrating this.

In seeking further clarity, the council said the issue has not been entirely addressed. It stated that, notwithstanding the revised ground floor plan, the concerns previously raised had not been addressed by the revised design with respect to the first and second floors. It has again requested revised design proposals showing the front elevation set back in line with neighbouring properties fronting the Dublin Road.

In its February request for further information, Westmeath County Council sought detailed 3D images of the rear of the development showing the relationship between the proposed development and all neighbouring habitable room windows and gardens from a rear perspective of the site. It has now sought an additional 3D image taken from the southwest corner of the site for the same purpose.

Under the final point, the council pointed out that a drawing of a proposed footpath submitted with the further information shows a footpath width of 1635mm and has requested a drawing demonstrating footpath width in compliance with the Design manual for Urban Roads and Streets (DMURS) 'Pedestrian and Cyclist Environment', and a DMURS quality audit to reflect same.

The applicant has been requested to liaise with the District Engineer in this regard. The council stated that further consideration of the application will be deferred until a complete reply to the request for further information clarification is submitted on behalf of the applicant, Mr Allen.