Building surge to boost local housing stock numbers by more than 1,500

An unprecedented level of housing construction is currently under way in north Westmeath. Almost 700 houses and apartments – mostly for private buyers – are being built across eight estates in the Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District.

An informal count of figures shows that the greatest level of development is in Mullingar, where 553 units are under construction at the moment. The other 107 are in estates being constructed in Killucan, Castlepollard, Collinstown and Delvin.

The largest of the current batch of Mullingar developments is at Farranshock, on the C-Link Road, where Glenveagh Properties are constructing 213 homes. It is followed by Saunders View, on the Ardmore Road, beside the Royal Canal. There, building contractors DGSL are constructing 119 homes, while on the western side of Mullingar, at Ballinamona – adjacent to Newbrook Nursing Home – Torca Homes are working on a 98-unit development.

Adjacent to the primary care centre, Rosemount firm Kelbuild have begun work on a 95-home development.

The other estates in the area under construction are Gort na dTobar, near St Finian’s College, where 28 sites are being sold individually; Castletown Green in Delvin (10 units), Clog na Leinn, Collinstown (61 units), Kingscourt, Castlepollard (10) and Ivy Court Killucan (30).

Pipeline

Of those in the pipeline, there are seven sets of plans for which permission is already in place.

An Bord Pleanála has granted permission for a major development of 130 housing units at Ballinderry. Opposite Newtown Lawns, the new estate will comprise 94 houses and 36 apartments, and artist impressions showing how the finished development is to look is at ballinderryshd.ie.

Behind the project is Steinfort Investments Fund (a wholly owned sub-fund of Consdorf Investments ICAV).

Permission for a further 181 units on the C-Link has been granted. Behind the development is Glenveagh Homes, currently constructing 213 homes at Farranshock. This additional 181-unit estate is on the opposite side of the road, on a site that stretches from the C-Link to Ashefield in Mullingar.

There are also permissions in place for 20 apartments at Spoutwell Lane, nine at Springfield, and 12 houses at Devinish, beside St Paul’s Church on the Delvin Road. Granted more recently was permission for 18 houses on the site of a derelict cottage beside The Moorings on the Ballymahon Road. The single largest application currently being processed is a 245-house development that Andrews Construction Ltd has drawn up for a 9.76ha site that extends from the Ardmore Road to the Dublin Road (opposite Gleann Petit). It has a website at petitswood-infill-lrd.ie. The council has requested further information on this application.

Two other applications with the council are currently preparing their responses to the council’s request for further information. One is from Frank Bell Ltd for 65 units at Ardmore Hills; the second is from BFJ Developments, for 38 apartments on the C-Link Road, just before the Mullingar hospital roundabout. In addition, a pre-planning meeting took place on May 24 with regard to an LRD proposal for 134 residential units at Ardmore, Mullingar.

Two other large developments for Mullingar are with An Bord Pleanála for decision. One is for a nursing home and 81 residential units (13 of which are to be reserved for elderly people) which WHS Holdings propose to site opposite Lough Sheever Corporate Park on the Castlepollard Road; the second is from Shaston Construction Limited for 41 houses and 30 apartments on the Saunders Bridge end of the Ardmore Road.

The decision on the first of these cases has been pushed out to October 3; the Shaston decision is due on October 9.

Social housing

In terms of social housing, 131 units are being constructed by approved housing bodies in Mullingar: Cluid Housing are building 13 units at Springfield, Mullingar and 18 at Ashe Road, while Respond Housing are building 99 units at Charlestown.

In addition, five units out of eight approved for development at Oakcrest, Mullingar, have been completed; and two units out of six approved for Austin Friars Street have been completed.

At the design and planning stage are 40 units for Railway Row; 32 units at Canal Avenue; 31 units at Ennell Court; 12 at Dalton Park and one at Abbeylands.

In the wider Mullingar Kinnegad Municipal District, there are – at the planning and design stage – nine units for Water Street, Castlepollard; 12 units for Bun Daire in Kinnegad; four units for the Killucan Childcare Site.

Construction is under way on six units at Athboy Road Delvin.