£4.5 MILLION PLAN FOR ST JOHN'S HALL

Once the attraction for dances and bingo sessions the old parish centre is to be bulldozed and replaced with a 4.5m modern mix of apartments and commercial premises.

Planners have given the go ahead for the demolition of the hall and erection of a three-storey mixed use development consisting of 38 living units, three retail units and a semi-basement car park with raised landscaped courtyard for Blackquarter Properties.

Developer Brian McNicholl said it would be a first for Magherafelt, creating a safe and secure community environment within the town centre.

Mr McNicholl said it was an exciting project and one which would completely transform urban living in the town.

McGurk Chartered Architects have been working on the development since last November.

A spokesperson said: “This scheme enables town centre living with the advantage of secure covered parking, lift access and open space.

“McGurk architects have designed a high quality development which will be replicated internally resulting in bright modern accommodation in a secluded setting.

“Historically brown field sites in provincial towns have ground floor retail units with one or two storey living accommodation above them. Street frontages were broken up intermittently with entries that led to rear returns or service spaces.

“In this instance the latter leads to a ground floor parking area and the circulation cores to the residential accommodation above them.

“This safe secure gated urban development was conceived as a raised courtyard with modules of accommodation round three sides of the perimeter. Each block has its own stairwell and lift accessing from the naturally illuminated and ventilated ground level car park area.

“The south west facing public garden at first floor level has pleasant views to the three spires of the town’s churches. The project, which will have a low carbon footprint, will be a leading development in terms of sustainability for Magherafelt’s future generations.”