A planning application seeking permission to convert a farm building into a coffee shop and farm outlet in Waringstown has been approved.
The farm building, Grovehill, at 101 Dunkirk Road, will be extended to accommodate the commercial operation.
The planning application was lodged by Matrix Planning Consultancy, Bangor, on behalf of Mr and Mrs B. McKnight who live at that address.
The applicants estimate that they will employ ten additional members of staff – from five to 15 – and that footfall will dramatically increase, with 70 daily customers as opposed to five currently.
Planning permission comes with strict conditions. Among others, ABC planning officers wrote: “The retail development hereby approved shall only be used as a farm shop operated in conjunction with, and for purposes ancillary to the current farm business.
“The coffee shop shall be operated in conjunction with, and for purposes ancillary to the existing farm business (…) and shall not be severed off to become a separate independent operation.
“The farm shop shall have a total gross retail floorspace not exceeding 33 square metres (…) so as not to prejudice the continued vitality and viability of existing retail centres.
“The opening hours of the coffee shop and farm shop shall be restricted to 7am to 11pm each day, to protect residential amenity.”
Planning officers go on to state: “The application site is part of an active farm business (horticultural) comprising land, dwelling and outbuildings.
“The building will be converted into a 33sqm farm shop and a coffee shop with WCs. The building will be extended in two areas, on the gable end to provide a kitchen area and additional WCs, and a replacement rear return to provide a domestic bar, bins and drinks store.
The new farm outlet and coffee shop will be adjacent to an existing landscape and gardening business. Credit: ABC planning portal
“Outdoor seating areas are proposed to the front and rear of the building to be used in association with the proposed coffee shop.
“The proposal also includes a parking area which provides for 30 designated car-parking spaces.
“Officers are satisfied that any vehicular activity associated with the proposed development will not have an unacceptable adverse impact on adjoining residents.
“Given the scale of the proposed development and having regard to the fact this is a proposed farm shop, officers are of the opinion that the catchment of the proposed shop would include the town centres of Waringstown and Lurgan.
“The applicant has indicated that the farm shop will involve the retail of plants from the applicants’ commercial landscape and gardening business as well as home baking, preserves and products produced for sale in the coffee shop.
“The gable extension will extend the length of the building by 7.26m and will have a natural stone finish to walls and natural slate roof.
“The proposed rear return will extend 10.24m (width 7m) and will have a cedar cladding finish to walls and natural slate finish to roof, and will replace the existing rear return which extends back 8.6m (width 3m).
“The use of natural stone and natural slate will match the architectural style and finishes of the existing building, and the use of cedar cladding will complement the architectural style and finishes of the existing building.
“The existing access onto the Dunkirk Road is to be widened from 5m to 10m, with 1.5m-high entrance natural stone walls provided.”
Speaking at a Planning & Regulatory Services committee meeting held on July 9, Alderman Gordon Kennedy (UUP, Cusher DEA) welcomed the plans for a new farm shop and café: “I welcome this. As a farmer myself it’s a great bonus to the local community, wee farm shops popping up.
“I’ve been involved with a few of them there and it’s unbelievable how far some people do travel. I think this is a a positive for any farm to get their own wee business off the ground.”
Committee chairman, Cllr Scott Armstrong (DUP, Armagh DEA) echoed Alderman Kennedy’s comments: “I think we can probably all agree that we are looking towards farm diversification to help out farmers as best as possible. I think we can be fairly supportive of it.”
The recommendation to approve the planning application was proposed by Alderman Kennedy, and seconded by Cllr Kevin Savage (Sinn Féin, Banbridge DEA).
