Public toilet will be returned to Ballymena town centre after earlier ‘outcry’

A disabled toilet is to be provided at Wellington Court as part of a refurbishment of the former facility which closed last year causing “an outcry”.

Wellington Court is a pedestrianised area which links Church Street and Wellington Street.

The application is for the proposed renovation of the ground floor of the premises by the local authority to provide office accommodation for council staff. The planned development will include disabled toilet provision which will be available to the public.

Kyle Patterson, the council’s interim head of planning and building control, told the committee the proposed office facility could provide space for approximately 17 members of staff.

He added the proposed changes are “minor and in keeping with the character of the property” and would be “an appropriate use within the town centre with the associated benefit of bringing more people into our town centre”.

General Purpose

Bannside Ulster Unionist Cllr Jackson Minford asked if the toilet provision would be for disabled users only or for general purpose. Mr Patterson said it will be available to all but it would have the “standards required for disability access”.

Cllr Minford continued: “If we no not make sure it is open to everyone to use, it can lead to abuse if it is for disabled only given the history that the toilet was closed a year or more ago and the outcry at that time.”

The recommendation to approve planning permission was proposed by Ballymena DUP Cllr Reuben Glover and seconded by party colleague Bannside Cllr Tyler Hoey and agreed unanimously.

Separately, at the same meeting, councillors approved an application by the borough council for the conversion of arts centre floorspace to office space, currently used for community facilities and as an art gallery, at the council’s headquarters at The Braid in Ballymena.

Mr Patterson indicated the renovation would provide space for up to 34 staff.

“This type of office space is an appropriate use within the town centre and has the associated benefit of bringing more people into Ballymena town centre,” he stated.

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Knockagh Alliance Councillor Aaron Skinner queried: “Given the amount of staff already in the building, is there expected to be much of a change in sewerage output?”

“There must be already a couple of hundred staff already here and with 34 extra desks, it seems strange that NI Water would have a concern,” he remarked.

Mr Patterson replied: “It is potentially hard to quantify. NI Water did have a concern and as the local council, we engaged with them and our facilities team produced a waste water impact assessment. We were able to agree conditions so that the application could progress.

“The team can work with NI Water to secure that necessary mitigation if needed.” He added that NI Water has recommended conditions to be attached to any approval.

Following a proposed by Cllr Hoey, seconded by Cllr Glover, the application was approved unanimously.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter