Work on 576-home project to begin in early 2022

Link road to Garrycastle will be first part of huge Lissywollen development

The start of work on the 576-unit Lissywollen housing development in Athlone has been slightly delayed, but construction is now expected to begin within the first three months of this year.

The Alanna Roadbridge development, in conjunction with Westmeath County Council, is set to cost in the region of €182 million and, when complete, is due to deliver 400 private homes and 176 social housing units.

Planning permission for it was granted by An Bord Pleanála just over six months ago, and at that stage it was anticipated that work on site would be underway before the end of 2021.

Council Director of Services Mark Keaveney last month indicated that the process had been slightly delayed by complex discussions to finalise the contract for the project between the local authority and Alanna Roadbridge.

"Westmeath County Council, in consultation with the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, is in the process of finalising the development agreement and completing the contract award with the Economic Operator," said Mr Keaveney, in a statement.

"This is a complex legalistic process and is taking longer than expected. We hope to have the process concluded in early 2022 and that the Economic Operator would be in a position to move to site immediately thereafter."

The first phase of the housing would be located at the Garrycastle end of the 17.6-hectare development site which sits alongside the Old Rail Trail greenway and between the Scoil na gCeithre Maistri Gaelscoil and Garrycastle.

According to planning documents, this first residential phase would consist of 72 houses and 47 duplex or apartment units.

But before any homes are built, a controversial link road known as 'Lissywollen Avenue' must first be constructed between the Brawny area and Garrycastle.

The road would be a new thoroughfare connecting Garrycastle to the busy Ballymahon Road.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent recently, Cllr Frankie Keena said it had not yet been clarified whether the through road would be opened to the public as soon as it was completed, or whether it would initially be restricted to construction traffic only.

The Westmeath County Council Cathaoirleach acknowledged that the safety of the road had long been an issue of concern for residents in the Brawny area.

He said he was keen to see work starting on the Lissywollen development, but added that the safety of the road was something he would be closely monitoring.

“It had been planned to (start construction) prior to the end of 2021, but I welcome the fact now that they are now hopeful they will get the contractor on site in the first quarter of the new year,” said Cllr Keena.

He said he had received assurances that the phases of housing construction in Lissywollen would be managed so that each one would have to be fully completed before the next could get underway.

“That’s important because it means that they won’t be starting different phases at the one time, which would make the entire area a building site,” he said.

For many people the housing crisis has only deepened in the last few years, but Cllr Keena said he saw hopeful signs in the level of residential construction now happening in Athlone.

He pointed to the fact that work was getting underway on the 426-unit Castlestar development in the Coosan area, and that construction was progressing on developments at Bower View, Arcadia, Baylough, and McCormack Park in Cornamagh.

“I would actually say that Athlone is taking a strong lead in relation to housing construction.

“There are five sites where machinery is on site at the moment, with maybe 650 houses being built, which is significant and welcome news.

“So the construction of houses is happening in Athlone, and as soon as the Lissywollen scheme starts as well it will be welcome for a lot of people out there who are looking for housing to buy, to rent or to be provided by the local authority.”

The Deputy Mayor of Athlone, Cllr Aengus O’Rourke pointed out that the Lissywollen project would be “the largest single residential development ever to break ground in the Athlone area, or indeed in County Westmeath.”

“With almost 400 people on the social housing list and a huge demand in general for private houses, this scheme is much anticipated,” added Cllr O’Rourke.