Plans to build a new church hall and expand car parking at an Armagh City church have been given the go-ahead.
The proposals at Armagh Free Presbyterian Church, which is located in the Georges Street area of the city, have now been rubber-stamped by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council.
The application, which was submitted in June in the name of Rev David McMillan, requested permission for the “erection of church hall including all required site works and retaining structures and provision of additional car parking”.
The development will be on lands adjacent to and south of the current church building, with the current site being unused ground consisting of stone and grass areas.
No objections or representations have been received for the proposal.
According to a planning official’s report, the church hall will be attached to the existing church building. It will be approximately 8.5 m in height and with a total floor area of 850 sqm.
The new building will consist of a main hall, entrance foyer, lobby, kitchen, male, female and accessible toilets, both internal and external stores, as well as a boiler room on the ground floor.
On the first floor there will be two multi-purpose rooms, a creche, landing, lobby and WC and baby changing facilities.
It will have four personal external access doors, one internal link door to the main church and one vehicular external access door.
“The building is finished in red brick walls to match the existing church building and powder coated aluminium frame window glazing,” the planning officer’s report added.
There are also proposed retaining walls to the eastern and western boundaries of the site.
The plans will also see the creation of a dedicated parking area located to the side and rear of the proposed hall.
Finished in gravel, it will provide 48 parking spaces, including two accessible spaces.
These proposals will double parking provision at the church, from 49 to 97 spaces.
The planning official’s report concludes: “Council officers consider that the proposal complies with the Strategic Planning Policy Statement for Northern Ireland (SPPS) and all other relevant planning policies.
“Officers have taken into consideration all other material matters, including matters raised in response to consultation. Any material harm that the development would potentially give rise to can be offset by the conditions imposed.
“On this basis and subject to the conditions attached, it is recommended that planning permission be granted.”
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