Local Cllr welcomes approved new development which will include 6 age friendly homes in Athgarvan village

Residents in the village of Athgarvan have welcomed the approval of a brand-new retail and housing development which will include six age-friendly homes, a dentist’s practice, a restaurant and a chemist.

The development was initially refused by Kildare County Council however, permission was granted on appeal by An Bord Pleanála.

Planning Consultant, Derek Whyte, outlined that the development is for three blocks of buildings developed around the existing Athgarvan Inn Public House and that the six age friendly houses will be amongst the first purposefully built homes for elderly people in Kildare.

Block one consists of a two storey commercial block consisting of a dentist’s practice, chemist, restaurant, turf accountant and an office on the ground floor which will incorporate a new public plaza area, bus stop and public footpath completing the existing path to the Athgarvan Inn Public House.

In addition, three apartments will complete this block at first floor level.

Block two will consist of six two-storey terraced, 3-bedroom family homes facing the Two Mile House Road, and block three will consist of six age friendly two-bedroom single storey houses clustered around a large landscaped public area.

Meanwhile, local residents living in Athgarvan have said that they are ‘very pleased’ that the new development has been given the green light.

Speaking to KildareNow this week, local Sinn Fein Cllr Mark Lynch welcomed the news that the retail development had been approved by A Bord Pleanála.

He said: “This location was always more appropriate for new retail premises over the current site on the opposite side of the cross. I would highly welcome the age friendly homes and I’m glad to see that the area is to be correctly landscaped to fit into the village neatly and a proper bus stop/pull in the area is badly required and has been included. A restaurant should also be a welcome addition to the village and overall I hope the project fits into its surroundings.”

Cllr Lynch continued: “I am clearly on record saying that councillors were wrong to zone Athgarvan a town instead of what it is, a village, and I feel that this project should be the maximum amount allowed to be built in the centre in terms of retail.”