Vol. 534 No. 3
212 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if an application from Westmeath County Council to have areas included in the strategic development zones category has been received; the specific areas covered by the application; the progress which has been made in processing this application; and when approval for these areas is to be announced. [10579/01]
In pursuance of the decision announced in the Government's Action on Housing, on the principle of designating strategic development zones where the delivery of significant numbers of houses was to be advanced, my Department wrote to the authorities in the area covered by the strategic planning guidelines for the greater Dublin area, the other county boroughs and their surrounding counties and to Louth and Westmeath county councils seeking proposals from them for suitable large scale residential development sites that could be considered for designation under Part IX of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 as strategic development zones for residential development. On foot of this, proposals were received from Cork, Fingal, Louth, Meath, South Dublin, Westmeath and Wicklow county councils and Dublin and Waterford corporations seeking the designation of a total 25 sites as strategic development zones. Six of the 25 sites proposed were from Westmeath County Council which proposed three sites in Mullingar and a further three in Athlone. I propose to include with my reply a tabular report setting out details of the sites submitted.
Following an evaluation of the 25 sites submitted, I approved 11 sites for further consideration in October last including the sites in the townland of Pettitswood-Ballinderry in Mullingar. Additional information sought from the local authorities at that time was subsequently provided and a detailed evaluation of the shortlisted sites is being finalised.
Proposals for residential Strategic Development Zones in Westmeath
|
Location of Proposed SDZ |
Site Area(Hectares) |
Total Housing Yield |
|
Mullingar – Pettitswood and Ballinderry Townsland |
26 |
1,120 |
|
Mullingar – Rathgowan or Farranshock |
59 |
2,100 |
|
Mullingar – Robinstown |
39 |
1,300 |
|
Athlone – Garrynafela, Cornamagh and Cornmaddy Townlands |
79 |
2,400 |
|
Athlone – Lissywoolen, Curragh, Cloghanboy Townlands |
56 |
1,800 |
|
Athlone – Ankers Bower, Loughandonning, Cartrontroy, Bunnavally, Derries and Kilmacuagh Townlands |
42 |
1,800 |
