Amended plans submitted for proposed Richhill health hub & minor injuries

by
Micheal McKenna
November 17, 2014

Amended plans have been submitted for a new health hub and minor injuries unit in Richhill.

The plans, in the name of Four Winds Investment Ltd, are being readvertised this week.

They were submitted to DoE Planning Service in September. One objection, from a local resident, has been received to date.

The readvertisement and response time for the public to the changed plans runs until November 27.

A traffic assessment carried out by Lisbane Consultants in Banbridge has not reported any major impact from the proposed development.

In its response to Planning Service, it states that Main Street in the village is subject to a 30mph speed limit but traffic speedsare slower.

The report states: “While this is a new facility, there is already a GP surgery in Richhill, and a substantial proportion of the trips will already be on the road network.

“Accordingly, the increase in traffic flows around the development site will not be significant.

“Consequently, there will be little impact on noise generation and air quality. Given the minimal increase in trips and with a satisfactory access in place, the potential for an increase in road traffic collisions is low.”

The actual application is for a health centre hub and minor injuries unit building, including community spaces with separate mixed use small scale retail and/or small office space. It also includes two/three residential buildings together with associated parking.

It relates to a site adjacent to the Normandy Inn at Main Street in the village.

The necessity of an environmental impact statement was ruled out by the DoE shortly after the first application was lodged in September.

The location lies just outside the Conservation Area at Richhill and therefore had the potential to impact upon the setting of the Conservation Area, a number of Listed Buildings and bat roosts.

However, the DoE, while not giving an indication of how the determination will come out, has said the proposals were not likely to “result in any significant environmental effects”.