Council’s Moate serviced site scheme will not proceed

Other options are set to be explored for the serviced sites scheme in Moate after the initiative attracted little interest, Athlone Moate Municipal District heard in a recent meeting.

It came as Cllr Tom Farrell asked about the council's plans for the serviced sites in Moate if none were sold.

Westmeath County Council launched the ten "ready-to-build" fully serviced sites for housing development off the Clara Road in Moate in July 2025. The development was the first of its kind within the county.

Offered for sale by the local authority and Athlone-based auctioneer REA Hynes, the development, 'Radharc An Mhóta', intended to support self-build housing in rural areas for the affordable homes market.

In a written response, the executive said: "There has not been sufficient interest in this site in terms of the sale of serviced sites at this location. The council is currently reappraising this site with a view to its future development."

District Manager Jackie Finney confirmed that there has been very little interest in the sites, which were priced from €60,000 to €65,000.

"It's an expensive site to develop, so the cost of the build, the cost of the site. The acquisition of it while serviced is one thing, and then there's the build - those two together make it so there just isn't the interest in it. We didn't have enough people going forward seeking to acquire a site."

She continued that there has been a lot of social housing development in the town in recent years, which could be a factor at play.

"We are looking at other options, such as affordable (housing). We need to liaise with the department," she said.