Residential Land: With many housebuilders looking for a ready-to-go development opportunity to enable them to keep staff and sub-contractors engaged, there is likely to be good interest in a site for an apartment scheme close to the centre of Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

Joint agents Sherry FitzGerald Davitt & Davitt and Property Partners McDonnell are suggesting a price over €4.5 million for the site at Gleann Petit Square off Dublin Road in Mullingar which is to be sold by tender through O'Donohoe Solicitors in Fairview, Dublin 3, on October 11th.

Designed by Dublin architects Brian O'Halloran & Associates, the development will comprise 56 units in four separate blocks with surface car-parking, an open-plan green area to the front and planted boundaries to the rear.

The homes are likely to have broad appeal because of the good variety of units. There will be one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three-bedroom duplex units ranging in size from 50-125sq m (540-1,345sq ft).

Gleann Petit Square sits comfortably in the centre of one of the best developments in the town. Turn left out of the proposed estate and within minutes you are on the M4 which takes you directly to Dublin. A turn to the right takes you in even less time to the hub of Mullingar, a hive of shops, bars and restaurants with plans for substantial retail developments in the coming years.

The opening of the M4 has provided a major boost for the town, just 35kms from the M50.

Commuters are also deeply interested in plans to run a train hourly from Mullingar to Dublin to cater for those with jobs in the city.