Sherry Fitzgerald O’Meara delighted with News of 562 New Homes Athlone.
Sherry Fitzgerald O’Meara would like to say a huge congratulations to Roadbridge and Alanna homes who have been successfully tendered to construct 562 new homes in Athlone.
In a monumental move for Athlone’s future development Westmeath County council has struck a deal with the two companies for the building of the new homes in the Lissywollen area. The house will be built in two phases, with the first 200 expected to be completed by the end of 2021 and all 562 completed by 2024. More than two thirds of the homes will be for the private market, with the remaining third being built for social housing.
Cllr Aengus O’Rourke described the development as “probably the largest infrastructural project that Westmeath County Council has ever been involved in. He said these new houses were urgently needed in Athlone. “Strategic housing developments like this are in line with our designation as a regional growth centre for the midlands” said Cllr O’Rourke. “We desperately need private housing. We even more desperately need social housing, and this project delivers on both of these needs.”
“If Ericsson or Covidien were to announce 200 new jobs in Athlone today, housing those people would be a huge challenge,” he commented. He also understood that “further large scale private housing projects “are currently in the works in Athlone “close to the department of education, and in the Coosan area”
Planning permission for the new houses has not yet been granted but Council CEO Pat Gallagher said direct approval would be sought from An Bord Pleanala. Mr Gallagher described plans for the new houses as “ a number of discrete neighbourhoods, “he stated, adding that the developer would be making a contribution towards the cost of a community facility for the residents.
The news has been met with great positivity from Athlone Councillers. Council Chairman John Dolan said the development was a welcome one: “It’s a win-win; I think it’s a very good deal for us” he said.
Welcoming what he described as a “major development in the core of Athlone” the town’s Mayor, Frankie Keena, pointed out that the location was excellent, being close to so many facilities and schools.
