Housing for older people on Marist site in Athlone gets go-ahead

Westmeath councillors this week cleared the way for the development of 55 apartments for older people on the site of the former hermitage building at the Marist College.

The Dublin-based Tuath Housing agency is behind the planning application to develop 28 apartments at the former Our Lady's Hermitage building on the grounds of the Marist College, coupled with a new three-storey block containing 27 apartments.

But before planning permission could be granted for the housing project, councillors this week had to approve a contravention of the Athlone Town Development Plan as the site in question, on the Retreat Road, had been zoned for 'educational, community and institutional use'.

At the council meeting in Mullingar on Monday, it was agreed to overrule the previous zoning to facilitate the residential project, though several councillors sought assurances that the new apartments wouldn't interfere with the planned development of a new Marist College on the school's existing site.

County Council CEO Barry Kehoe said the local authority was "very much aware of the future development of a new school on the (Marist) lands," and he said that had been taken into consideration throughout its evaluation of the Tuath Housing scheme.

"Nothing in this grant of permission (for the apartments) will prejudice the future development of the school on the site," he stated.

"The Marist Hermitage has been disused for a number of years, has been the subject of vandalism on occasion, and has been falling into disrepair.

"This is a very welcome application for a development to convert the hermitage itself into residential units and to build a further block behind the hermitage for 27 further apartments on the site as a whole."

Cllr Aengus O'Rourke formally proposed the contravention of the town development plan to facilitate the new apartments, saying, it represented a "very good" plan.

"It's 55 units of the kind of accommodation that will be put to very good use in Athlone," he remarked.

Athlone Mayor Cllr Frankie Keena said his understanding was that the housing model behind the new apartments was similar to that seen in the McAuley Place facility in Naas, "where the elderly and people with mild disabilities could use it as an independent living location".

"That would be welcomed in Athlone, and is badly needed in Athlone," said Cllr Keena.

Cllr Paul Hogan said this would be "a very good development" for the area but asked if any improvements were planned to the Retreat Road entrance junction at the Marist College, given the high volumes of traffic there at peak times.

Cllr Kevin 'Boxer' Moran also highlighted the traffic issue, saying the Retreat Road was already "at capacity at certain times of the day" and that the new apartments would "add to that".

"Have we looked at improving or upgrading the footpaths as you come out of the Marist College, on the right hand side, or have we even looked at the possibility of putting in (traffic) lights, not that I want more lights?" he said.

In addition, 'Boxer' asked if a planning condition could be included which would prevent Tuath from objecting to any educational or sporting developments on the Marist site.

Mr Kehoe said the council wouldn't be able to put in a condition restricting anybody's rights to make a submission on a planning application.

"That's not something we can do, but I'd be very surprised and disappointed if this development had any impact whatsoever on the proposal for a new school," said the council CEO.

"It's in everybody's interest that (the new school) happens. There's ample land on the site, and we've also agreed that the old St Mel's Park will transfer to the Marist order to facilitate the development of the new school and educational facilities in the years ahead. So I wouldn't have a concern around that."

He acknowledged traffic was "chaotic" on the Retreat Road twice a day.

"We're working to implement more active travel programmes in the town to reduce dependence on the private car, because it's the private cars in this area that cause the most difficulties.

"When we get and deal with an application for a new school for the Marist College, we will be looking again at traffic management measures associated with that.

"We are committed to the school, we're committed to this development as well, and to making that area work as best we can from a traffic management perspective," he said.