Some spring growth seems to be slowly returning to Westmeath business, as evidenced from the planning lists at Westmeath County Council, with a new tyre service facility in Delvin and a new convenience store and deli in Kilbeggan the notable beneficiaries of the official green light.
Delvin Tyre & Haulage Ltd is to build a tyre service area, and a 500 sqm waste tyre storage area on the Main Street in the village, with access from the Athboy Road, and the Lambe Brothers are to demolish an existing shop at their filling station on the Tullamore Road in Kilbeggan, and replace it with a new convenience store with a deli counter and seating.
Elsewhere in the commercial world, it looks like Christy Maye has not given up on his plans to re-design the nightclub above Danny Byrne’s pub in Mullingar, and has appealed the council’s refusal to An Bord Pleanala.
Planners have also decided there are enough chippers in Moate, and have refused a Denis Conaughton permission to convert a two storey house on Main Street, Moate into a chipper with apartment above.
Westmeath County Council has recently received an application from Pascal Seery in Gortmore, Drumraney, to extend five of his mushroom tunnels by one metre in height and to build an additional tunnel, while in Mullingar Thomas Cole has been asked to supply further information to support his application to convert 8, St Loman’s Terrace into a two-storey commercial unit.
At the other end of the town, a firm called Edson Properties, has submitted a plan to demolish the existing boundary wall between 1-4, Ashe Road and the shopping centre, and replace it with a 2.5m x 61m wall.
On the sporting front, Crookedwood GAA has been given the go-ahead for a hurling wall, a fenced-off astroturf pitch, and floodlights for the main pitch.
In Rochfortbridge, plans for an international standard motocross course just off the Derrygreenagh road are on hold for the time being, as further information is being sought by both Westmeath and Offaly County Councils.
In the education sector, St Tola’s NS near Delvin has been given permission to build a new classroom and corridor, and revise its carpark, whereas Coosan NS just outside Athlone must hand in additional details with regard to its application for the simple retention of a prefab.
Mercy Convent, Kilbeggan has submitted plans for a new canteen and link corridor, and to retain a prefab and woodwork room.
In Kinnegad, the community childcare facility on the Killucan Road has applied to the council to expand its floor space from 580 to 691 sqm.
In the next village along, a major renovation and refurbishment of the protected St Etchen’s church in Killucan has just been applied for by its parent body, the Mullingar Union of Churches. They hope to reinstate the gallery to a contemporary design, and remove an internal window in the tower stair to allow access to it. They also hope to attach a new WC and meeting room at ground level, and get the building up to standard in terms of disabled access and fire safety access.
In housing, Sabrata Ltd has been refused plans to build 30 houses in “The Paddocks” on Dublin Road, Castlepollard, and in Mullingar Frank Bell has been asked for further information to pursue his application to build 56 three, four, and five-bed detached houses at Ardmore Hills in Marlinstown.
