Site clearing under way at Canal Avenue in Mullingar

Work on the demolition of former Health Service Executive (HSE) buildings along Canal Avenue is part of the preparation for the urban regeneration project planned for the area, members of the Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad learned at their monthly meeting in Mullingar last Monday.

“Once cleared, the site will be levelled and enclosed with security fencing, preparing it for future redevelopment,” Anne Marie Corroon, SEO with the Westmeath County Council Regeneration and Capital Projects team told the meeting.

She said completion is anticipated by the end of December.

Cllr Mick Dollard urged the council to proceed with the Canal Avenue project and other plans for housing in the same area, saying there was a huge need for housing in Mullingar and he had not much faith in the approved housing bodies, which, he said, have let the town down very badly.

The view of Mullingar mayor, Cllr Ken Glynn, was aligned with that of Cllr Dollard: “We definitely should be building there,” he said.