OS maps no longer at Council HQ

Ordnance Survey maps detailing every inch of pavement and countryside in Westmeath can no longer be copied or consulted at Westmeath County Council’s €40 million headquarters, it emerged this week.For a number of years, the Council has acted as franchisees for map services provided by Ordnance Survey Ireland, and prior to the development of the new Council HQ, maps could be consulted or copied by members of the public at an office on Church Avenue, Mullingar.One person was employed by the Council to run the OS franchise, which for many years was used by the public to procure maps for planning permission purposes, or by farmers seeking to identify land holdings as required under the REPS scheme.But the Westmeath Examiner has learned that the person providing the service has since left the employ of the Council, and due to the recruitment moratorium, the service has been discontinued.“The mapping service is still available directly from Ordnance Survey Ireland,” a spokesperson for Westmeath County Council said, denying reports that the service had been relocated to Athlone.It is understood that the mapping facility had been hit hard by the recession, owing to the vastly reduced number of planning applicants.It is likely that any renewal of the OS mapping service will be subject to a feasibility review.