Proposals for a development that would double the population of a town in the Irish Midlands to more than 40,000 have been approved by local councillors.
Westmeath county council has just approved the zoning of the first 250 acres of the 1,200 acres that have been identified as suitable for the town centre in the new Robinstown suburb of Mullingar.
Around 200 acres have been zoned for residential and mixed-use developments. This land will also provide a shopping and office precinct. As many as 4,000 homes are expected to be built in this phase.
The other 50 acres have been rezoned in order to accommodate the expansion of the Lough Sheever Industrial Park, which will also be allowed to accommodate a motor mall, retail warehouse outlets and other retail and healthcare facilities.
Sheever Developments, which is headed by Michael Kelly, has been developing 45 acres at the nearby Sheever Industrial Park. It is expected to submit a planning application in the near future.
Unusually for the pro-development Fianna Fail party, it voted for the postponement of the project.
Local councillor Jim Bourke explained that it was concerned at the lack of detail in the local area plan put forward by the county council.
The Mullingar Chamber of Commerce has also sought the provision of a 100-acre educational campus. The council has also zoned a further 100 acres for parkland, sports pitches and leisure amenities for development over a 20-year period.
It is believed that most of the land is currently owned by local farmers.
References: EGi News 02/03/05
