Portglenone: new shop planned for former police station site

The application was lodged by an agent on behalf of JFM Construction, Toomebridge.

The proposal relates to a site of vacant land between Cullybackey Road and Chesney Crescent in the vicinity of St Mary’s Church at Ballymena Road.

A planning statement submitted with the application says that a store with a gross floor area of 1,850sq metres and sales area of 1,460sqm is planned and “could be occupied by food or non-food retailers”.

It notes that “the majority of the floorspace is within Portglenone town centre as designated in the Ballymena Area Plan”. The south-eastern part of the site was occupied by a police station previously but all buildings on the site have been demolished.

Portglenone police station closed in 2013 as part of an overall estates review by the PSNI.

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The planning statement submitted with the application indicates the majority of the remainder of the site would be occupied by a car park with 106 spaces planned. The boundaries of the car park would be landscaped. Access is proposed from Ballymena Road.

It notes Portglenone has a “small town centre”, adding that “development within the designated town centres will be permitted provided that it maintains their primary retail function and wider role as a focus for business, leisure, cultural and other appropriate town centre uses”.

It also reports that ninety per cent of the planned retail sales area of the new premises would be “within the town centre boundary”.

“A Noise Impact Assessment (NIA) accompanies the application and demonstrates that the proposal will not have an unacceptable adverse impact on surrounding residents in terms of noise. A retail store would not cause any other unacceptable amenity impacts,” it says.

Separately, an application has been lodged with Mid and East Antrim Borough Council by an agent on behalf of Michael Fullan, of Sessia Ltd, for extension to first floor cafe to provide an outdoor terrace for dining at Main Street, Portglenone.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter