Council's plans for 94 new Athlone homes approved

A Westmeath County Council plan to develop 94 housing units next to Cornamagh cemetery, in the Cornamaddy area of Athlone, has been given the go-ahead by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

Some 86 houses and eight apartments are to be constructed as part of the development which is to be located on a 6.5 hectare site approximately 150 metres north of the N55 (Ballymahon Road).

The development site is approximately 2km from Athlone town and is bounded by Cornamagh Cemetery to the west, the Drumaconn housing estate to the south east, and the proposed Glenveagh ‘Esker’ development in Cornamaddy to the east.

Plans for the new housing were lodged by Westmeath County Council with An Coimisiún Pleanála late last year, and earlier this month the planning authority signed off on its approval for the project, subject to nine conditions.

The council previously indicated that 30% of the new homes are to be allocated as social housing, with around 20% being offered under the affordable housing scheme, and the remaining 50% being sold on the open market.

The local authority also indicated that, once it had secured planning approval, it would invite bids from a private developer for the construction and delivery of the housing scheme.

A Natura Impact Statement on the project was among the documentation submitted by the council to An Coimisiún Pleanála as part of the planning application on December 9 last.

An inspector for the planning authority, Rachel Gleave O'Connor, visited the site in March of this year and her 87-page inspector's report recommended granting approval for the project.

The nine conditions attached by the commission to the planning permission included that all works on site should be supervised "by an on-site Ecological Clerk of Works" who would report on compliance with environmental mitigation measures.

The commission also stipulated that the development should include one bicycle space per bed space, and that car parking should be provided to the maximum level set out in the Westmeath County Development Plan 2021-2027, including the provision of visitor, disabled and Electric Vehicle bays.

The commission also directed that, prior to the start of construction, protective fencing should be installed "to protect all trees identified to be retained" on the site.

The council was also directed to ensure that a qualified archaeologist was appointed to carry out "pre-development archaeological testing" at the site and to prepare an Archaeological Impact Assessment Report.

Speaking last December, Cllr Frankie Keena expressed enthusiasm about the plans for the 94 new homes.

"The development has been designed in-house by the housing capital team, based in Athlone, and the design is really attractive," said Cllr Keena.

"It's positive news in terms of trying to help address the housing demand that exists in the area by providing a mixture of private, affordable and social housing."