GrantedApartmentsDecided 23 July 2021

Our Lady's Bower, Aghacocara & Loughanaskin, Lower Road

Conversion of a former convent and school into a library and 76 apartments.

207079 · Westmeath County Council · Lodged 29 May 2020

Reference: 207079
Authority: Westmeath County Council
Register status: Decided
Type: PERMISSION
Received: 29 May 2020
Residential units: 99
Floor area: 8856.54 m²

Summary

AI-generated

Permission is sought for the change of use of a protected 1889 convent building and 1960s extension into a library and residential apartments. The project includes constructing two new apartment blocks to provide a total of 76 residential units.

Apartmentsapartmentsconvent conversionprotected structurelibrary

Generated from the description above by an AI model and may contain mistakes. The council’s description is the authoritative record.

Official record

Development description

Permission for a) change of use of the old 1889 convent building (our lady's bower) and later 1960s extension from convent and boarding school to library and residential apartments; 8 three-bed, 25 two-bed, 14 one-bed, five studios, 64 carpark spaces (three for dis). An 1889 convent building (our lady's bower) is a protected structure (ref 224) and entrance gateway - our lady's bower is a protected structure (ref 223). B) material changes to the elevations of the existing 1960s building c) new residential apartment block extension to the north-west side of the existing 1960s building; consists of 3 three-bed, 3 two-bed, 1 one-bed 1 studio, seven carpark spaces (one for dis. ), waste recycle bin storage and bicycle storage at the ground level d) new residential apartment block on the old tennis courtyards at the south-east part of the site, consist of 20 two-bed and 4 one-bed, 32 carpark spaces (two for dis. ) e) all ancillary site works at the curtilage of our lady's bower convent in the townlands of aghacocara and loughanaskin, lower road, athlone

Land-use zoning

What this land is zoned for

Community, Educational & InstitutionalED

“Protect, provide and improve community, civic and educational facilities and to preserve the open character of institutional lands and the setting of heritage buildings contained within such lands.”

Objective set by the ATLAP 2014-2020 (2014–2025). The planning authority decides each application on its own merits — this is the zoning context, not a compliance assessment.

Read the zoning objectives in the development plan

Built & sold

What happened next

Beyond the decision: whether this development was built, and what property here has sold for.

Recent sales nearby

within 500 m

Residential Property Price Register sales within 500 metres of this site
Address	Date	Price	Distance
9 Ankers Court, Dublin Rd, Athlone	Jan 2026	€180,000	217 m
23 Ankers Court, Dublin Rd, Athlone	Jan 2026	€218,000	219 m
7 Carnagh House, Ardri, Dublin Rd Athlone	Jul 2026	€242,000	247 m
16 Carnagh House, Ardri, Dublin Rd	Jan 2026	€242,000	247 m
Apartment 14 Rinardo House, Ard R�, Athlone	Nov 2025	€244,000	249 m
10 Portanure House, Ard Ri, Old Dublin Rd	May 2025	€232,000	256 m
8 Portanure House, Ardri, Athlone	Jul 2025	€230,000	256 m
12 Portanure House Adri, Brideswell St, Athlone	Jun 2025	€261,000	256 m

Nearby properties, not this site — a guide to local values.

Sources: Building Control Management System (commencement notices) and the Residential Property Price Register, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Records are matched to this application by location and may not be exhaustive; always confirm against the official source before relying on them.

Key dates

Timeline

Application received29 May 2020
Further information requested23 July 2020
Further information received12 April 2021
Decision due23 July 2021
Decision issued23 July 2021
Grant issued30 August 2021
Permission expiry29 August 2026

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