Tomard, Athy
Co. Kildare · 126 Homes & Childcare Facility
Tomard is a new residential neighbourhood on a 4.2-hectare infill site close to Athy town centre, Co. Kildare. Delivered across two concurrent planning applications, the scheme provides 126 homes and a childcare facility, knitting a long-vacant brownfield site into the surrounding fabric of the town.
Conceived in line with Kildare County Council's vision for Athy as a self-sustaining growth town, the development establishes a compact, permeable pattern of housing linked by a robust network of pedestrian and cycle routes — supporting a healthy, safe and age-friendly community within walking distance of the town centre, train station and schools campus.
Design Approach
The site design responds directly to its context: the adjoining residential estates to the north and west, the nursing home and sheltered housing to the south, and the Dublin–Cork rail line that defines the eastern boundary. A central spine road runs from the existing Cluain Bhearú access through to future playing pitches in the west, with a series of short cul-de-sacs radiating north and south. This arrangement separates housing from open space, keeps parking close to each home, and ensures every route is well overlooked.
Two distinct areas of public open space sit at the heart of the scheme, flanked by housing on all sides for natural passive supervision. Existing hedgerow and trees along the northern boundary are retained and integrated, and new pedestrian and cycle links stitch the development into Ardrew Meadows and the wider town.
Homes & Character
The development is predominantly two-storey, pitched-roof terraced housing of a form sympathetic to the surrounding suburban context. A number of modest apartment duplex and triplex buildings — a single home per floor — are placed at the ends of terraces and at street corners, lifting the overall density without overshadowing the neighbouring two-storey homes.
The material palette is simple and contemporary: buff-coloured brick to ground-floor frontages for robustness, with off-white render above and to side and rear walls. The brick language continues at terrace ends to form the three-storey "bookend" apartments, giving the streets a clear rhythm and a sense of address.
Childcare & Community
A childcare facility is located close to the primary access point in the northern part of the site, fronting the larger area of public open space and positioned to avoid unnecessary traffic movements through the development. The scheme is designed as an inclusive, age-friendly community: in line with Kildare County Council's disability strategy and Athy's status as an Age Friendly Town, 15% of the homes (11 units) are designed to Universal Design standards, suitable for older residents and people with disabilities.
Client
Location
Site Area
Total Units
Typology Mix
Height
Density
Community
Accessibility
Services Provided
Status
Ashcroft Developments
Tomard, Athy, Co. Kildare
4.2 hectares
126 homes
1 and 2 storey terraced, semi-detached and detached houses (2, 3 & 4-bed)
2 storeys
35 units per hectare
Childcare facility, two areas of public open space, play area
15% (11 units) to Universal Design standards; age-friendly
Concept, Planning, Design, Assigned Certifier, Construction-Stage Architecture
Planning granted; construction underway
