Eighteen housing estates in Westmeath are to be taken in charge by the council following the latest report by the county manager.
Seven of the estates are in the Mullingar area, five in the Kilbeggan area, five in the Coole area, and just one in the Athlone area of the county.
The latest round of housing estates to be taken in charge follows a decision in July this year to commence the process for taking in charge 42 of the county’s housing estates. Details of the proposals went on public display in August, following which 31 submissions were received from members of the public regarding various estates.
The estates to be taken in charge in the Mullingar area are: College Vale, Brosna Close, Greenpark Vale, and Shandonagh, all in Mullingar town, as well as Toberaquill, Monilea; Cluain Craoibh, Kinnegad; and Inis Glora, Ballinalack.
Meadow Park, Colla Lawns, and The Maltings are to be taken in charge in Kilbeggan, while in Ballymore Stoneleigh and High Street are also on the list.
In the Coole area the following estates have been recommended: Castle Heights, Castlepollard; Woodville, Clonmellon; Lacora Glen, Delvin; and Abbeylands and Beechview, Rathwire.
The only estate to be taken in charge in the Athlone area is Grovemount, Moate.
Several other estates were judged not yet to have satisifed all the planning requirements, so are not ready to be taken in charge. Several of these, in particular Mullingar’s Ardilaun Heights and Green and Ardleigh Vale, elicited strong public response, with residents citing boundary walls, maintenance of green areas, issues with sewers, pedestrian access, and traffic calming as areas of concern.
It is expected that several more estates will be ready by December, with county manager Dan McLoughlin assuring the public last week that “we haven’t lost our resolve to progress those estates not announced today. Works and discussions are ongoing to satisfy the planning requirements.”
He added that estates would not be taken in charge where there were still issues unaccounted for by developers. Legal and enforcement action against developers who don’t complete works kicks in only after planning permission has expired and an extension of time has not been granted.
