Westmeath County Council had given the green light for the 300-house development on the Ballymahon Road despite a number of objections.

The original application was refused by Westmeath County Council, with local planners branding the out of town development as an adhoc, piecemeal development.

The appeal contains numerous concerns from locals over the effect the development could have on local wildlife.

Westmeath County planners are due to make a decision on the development in December.

The Technological University of the Shannon had sought planning permission to construct a large temporary car parking facility near their Athlone campus on the Dublin Road.

Willow Park FC in Athlone are looking to construct a new carpark on their premises.

A decision on all the proposed developments is due in November.

The authority argued that the development's location endangers public safety due to the movement of the extra traffic that would accompany the completed project.