Investment firm looking to build 136 homes at Ballinderry Road

An investment fund firm has entered into a pre-consultation stage with An Bord Pleanála as a first step towards development of a major residential development on Mullingar’s Ballinderry Road.

The site is located to the south of Chestnut Drive and off the Ballinderry Rd opposite the end of Newtown Lawns.

Steinfort Investment Fund is investigating the feasibility of applying for permission to erect 100 houses and 36 apartments under the fast-track “strategic housing development” process.

If An Bord Pleanála accepts that the proposal constitutes a strategic housing development, that will mean the decision on the potential future planning application would be made by An Bord Pleanála and not Westmeath County Council.

To qualify as a strategic housing development, an application needs to be for a minimum of a hundred houses.

The pre-consultation documents were lodged with an Bord Pleanála on May 17, and the case is due to be decided by July 7 2021. Because the documents have not yet been made public, it is not yet clear on what land the developers are proposing to build the dwellings, but property professionals locally say that a site of at least around 10 acres is going to be required.

Early in220, the same firm entered into pre-consultation with An Bord Pleanála which they later followed through with an application for 358 dwellings at a site at Clonminch in Tullamore. In November, An Bord Pleanála refused permission, adjudging that as planned, the development would be contrary to the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.

The firm has a further consultation going on with An Bord Pleanala over the same site.

In April of this year, the firm was granted permission to build two apartment blocks containing 35 units at Finglas.