Aughnacloy: ‘high quality’ office and apartments plan approved by council
Planning approval has been granted for a replacement building at 16 Mill Street, Derrycush, Aughnacloy, to provide ground-floor office accommodation and two apartments.
The apartments, on the first and second floor respectively, will have two bedrooms each.
The planning application was lodged by Donnelly Design Services, Carrickmore, on behalf of C. Murphy Construction, in Galbally. The three-storey building to be constructed, will replace an existing two-storey house.
Mid Ulster District Council planning officers wrote in their report: “It is my opinion that the business use proposed at this location is acceptable.
“The use is compatible with surrounding land uses. After amended drawings and a new structural engineer’s report, it is my opinion that the proposal is unlikely to harm the amenities of nearby residents [or] cause an unacceptable noise nuisance.
“The proposal involves a three-storey building erected in place of the existing two-storey dwelling.
“This building will obviously be clearly visible from the roadside, however, the nature of the surrounding buildings and land uses lend itself to this type of development.
“The design of the building is, in my view, of a high quality and respects local traditions.
“The proposal will not result in a significantly higher residential density in this locality, where there is a mix of detached and semi-detached dwellings.”
Planning officers do sound a note of caution in respect of the neighbouring property, however: “It is noted that the adjacent property is in a precarious state, therefore the onus is on the developer to consult with the landowner to ensure that the proposed works do not compromise the existing property.”
The recommendation to approve planning was proposed by Cllr Deirdre Varsani (Sinn Féin, Dungannon DEA) and seconded by Cllr Gavin Bell (Sinn Féin, Cookstown DEA) at Tuesday’s (February 4) Mid Ulster Planning meeting.
François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter