Mid Ulster District Council’s planners are currently considering an application to bring a farm shop to the outskirts of Benburb.
Lodged by agent Eunan Deeney on behalf of applicant Mr Alfie Shaw, the application is seeking permission to convert an existing agricultural building into a farm shop at lands approximately 70m north of No. 37 Tobermesson Road.
The proposal seeks to repurpose an agricultural shed with a 30%/70% split in use with 30% to be used for circulation while 70% will be used for retail.
This will equate to floorspace of 26sqm and 62sqm respectively.
Access to the site from the Tobermesson Road will be via existing splays of 2.4m and 90m in both directions and are, according to the application form, to Transport NI standards.
According to the agent, this application represents a future investment by the applicant who has successfully operated another agricultural diversification scheme on the wider site.
It is also noted that a website for a delivery service for the products produced on the farm is currently being developed.
If the application is approved, staff numbers at the site will not increase but the number of visitor vehicles attending the premises on a daily basis is expected to increase from 0 to 10 and the number of goods vehicles will increase from 0 to one.
This increase, it is anticipated, will lead to a total of 22 people attending the site on a daily basis with two employees and 20 others expected to be at the site on an average daily basis.
With the application received and validated on Thursday, August 5 it will be advertised until Thursday, September 2.
