New link to be built between Ardmore Road and N52

The county town is in line for a new link road that will connect the Ardmore Road to the N52 at Baltrasna, Mullingar.

The latest infrastructural addition came to light as Tánaiste Simon Harris and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, announced details of the second call for projects for the government’s new Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund (HIIF).

That fund is aimed at boosting the delivery of public infrastructure projects to unlock housing sites in towns and cities across Ireland.

The Ardmore Road link road, which will be around 700m in length, is expected to cost less than €10m and will help address the housing demand in one of the fastest-growing towns in the midlands. Funding for the initial stage of the road is to be provided by the Department of Transport in 2026.

Welcoming the government approval of funding, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke, TD, told the Westmeath Examiner: “If we want to build more homes, we need the infrastructure to support them, and this investment in the Ardmore Road link road will improve connectivity in the area and support Mullingar’s continued growth for years to come.”

It is the latest part of the €1 billion HIIF, and will be managed by the new Housing Activation Office.

Minister Burke said the project represents a significant investment in the future of Mullingar and builds on government investment delivered in the area in recent years.

The announcement follows the opening of the Saunders Bridge foot and cycle crossing earlier this year and the delivery of Holy Family Primary School, both of which have enhanced infrastructure and services for residents.

Minister Burke said the route will benefit more than motorists: “We’ve seen a huge amount of investment in Active Travel in the area, and this will provide a key pipeline for vehicular traffic and cyclists and pedestrians.”

The minister acknowledged that increased housing will require further future planning measures: “We have a lot of work to do with other infrastructure. You’ll have seen the town bus service take hold this year. That was a key public transport initiative for Mullingar. You’ll also see the Local Link connecting the outer towns and villages around Westmeath to Mullingar.”

Minister Burke highlighted projects like the planned leisure facilities in Mullingar, the rejuvenation of Blackhall, and the development of an advance factory as indications of the commitment to keeping pace with the development of the town.

He said having adequate infrastructure in place is part of those plans: “Water is a significant objective of the government. We are working to bring the pipeline from the Shannon up to Dublin, it will be key. Irish Water’s plans to bring a spur off for Mullingar will provide security for future growth in the population.”

Increased capacity for wastewater treatment is another area Minister Burke says is under consideration: “There has been a number of concerns in relation to the sludge taken in from other towns and villages around the county. We have a significant amount of work to do to ensure that is in the correct protocols of the EPL licence.”

The Fine Gael TD says there has been “a huge amount of investment in schools” in the region.

He said the potential for the county town to achieve city status is not that far off: “I think Mullingar is absolutely growing at a strong pace. An objective of mine is to get not only good recreational infrastructure into the town, but also high quality jobs.

“That’s what I’ve really been prioritising over this term in government in my role as enterprise minister, working to secure high value investment into Mullingar. And we’ve been working night and day to do that.”

The minister said that tourism is another piece of the development jigsaw for Westmeath: “We’re working on another significant promotional product for Mullingar and the midlands. We are the spine of the country and hopefully Mullingar will take a prominent role.”