An Athlone secondary school has received formal planning permission to commence development of a substantial sports and recreational facility.
Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School on Retreat Road in the heart of the town applied for a new building to accommodate changing rooms along with two new artificial grass multi-sport playing surfaces.
Plans approved by Westmeath County Council note that the pitches will be surrounded by a synthetic sprint track, walkways and outdoor exercise equipment.
The application also includes biodiversity works such as the creation of grassland areas and planting of native trees and shrubs.
The development has been approved by local planners with numerous conditions attached.
LIDL Planning Appeal Refused
Meanwhile, LIDL’s appeal to construct a new €10 million Athlone foodstore has been rejected by An Bord Pleanála. Originally refused planning permission by Westmeath County Council in June 2021, LIDL opted to appeal the local authority’s decision but a similar outcome was realised in recent times.
The development was planned for the site of the Colm Quinn Motorstore in the Athlone Business Park, directly opposite the current foodstore.
Plans would have seen the demolition of the existing structures and the construction of single-storey discount foodstore featuring 128 surface car parking spaces and a new public plaza area fronting on to the old Dublin Road, but following an appeals process, An Bord Pleanála upheld Westmeath County Council’s decision to refuse permission.
The scale of the development was found to contravene the town’s retail strategy and Athlone Town Development plan, while traffic level issues in the area also led to the higher planning body ruling against the German retail giant.
