Council finalises compulsory purchase of prominent Athlone building

Westmeath County Council is finalising the compulsory purchase of a prominent local building.

The property at the junction of Pearse St and O’Connell St, which is on the council's Derelict Sites Register, has been given a cosmetic facelift with the addition of murals, including one depicting the famous writer Hanna Greally, who was born in close proximity. A public notice stating the council's intention to acquire the building by compulsory purchase was placed on the building in December.

At a recent meeting of Athlone Moate Municipal District, Anne-Marie Corroon, Westmeath County Council's Head of Regeneration & Capital Projects, said there had been "no objections" to the proposed CPO.

When asked by Cllr Paul Hogan what the plans were, Ms Corroon said the council generally CPOs buildings that have an issue selling.

"They usually have an issue with the titles. Our intention when we CPO would be to put them on the market with a clean title."

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