Planning permission is subject to 22 conditions.
A controversial housing development in the midlands has been given the green light.
Marina Quarter Limited has been granted five-year planning permission for the construction of 70 homes in Cornamaddy, Athlone.
The plans include the provision of a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses, and forms part of a larger project.
The development had received almost 20 online submissions, most of which raise concerns with the potential impact it will have on a sett of local badgers.
Planning permission was granted subject to 22 conditions - one of those states the developer must implement all measures included in the Badger Mitigation Strategy, one of which involves the provision of an artificial sett.
That will also be subject to a monitoring survey by a qualified ecologist every three months for the first two years.
However, the Stand with Badgers group believes if the animals lose their natural sett, it will lead to the death of the Cornamaddy Badgers.