A large housing development has been given the green light on the site of a former clock factory in Armagh.
ABC Planning & Regulatory Services committee members approved plans for the construction of a large housing development on lands adjacent to 109 Barrack Hill in Armagh, on what was once an industrial site with a clock factory.
The residential development will consist of 64 dwellings and two apartments, and will include a boundary and retaining wall, planting and landscaping.
The planning application was lodged by O’Callaghan Planning, Newry, on behalf of Philip Ewart, Milford.
Speaking at the committee meeting, principal planning officer, Sinead McAvoy explained that the application was being presented to committee members with a strong recommendation for approval.
“The application site formerly contained three dwellings and a clock factory which was located in the western section of the site.
“While the factory no longer exists, the use of that portion of the site for industrial purposes was considered as unsuitable for modern industrial storage or distribution purposes.
“As regards the design, layout and amenity, officers are content that this proposal will create a quality and sustainable residential development.
“The former factory was actually quite tight to residential properties, and we think that it’s too close for modern industrial purposes to replicate a factory so close to those properties.
“The new development will be approximately expanded from 11.5 metres to 17 metres back, so it’s going to be a lot of separation distance from those properties.”
The new housing development at Barrack Hill, Armagh, will be built on a vacant industrial site. Credit: ABC planning portal
Councillor Paul Duffy (Sinn Féin, Portadown DEA) said he welcomed the prospect of an unused piece of land being put to good use.
“It’s great to see a [development] this size going to an area like that. It’s actually not here [before this committee] because of very limited objections – [there are] only three, which wouldn’t have met the criteria.
“It’s just the ground seems to have been used for dumping and whatever, so it’s good to see that a developer is actually going to build on it, and build on it in one go instead of trying to build it in small stages.”
Committee vice-chair, Councillor Peter Lavery (Alliance, Lurgan DEA) also welcomed the fact that children would have their own open space within the development to play in safety: “You can see that open space in the middle of the development being well used by local children in the area.”
Alderman Gordon Kennedy (UUP, Cusher DEA) also remarked that there is a really good playpark very close by, just beside Kingston Memorial Playing Field: “This land is a bit of an eyesore just as you come into the town there, so it’ll be good to see that tidied up, and a bit of permitted development on it.
“It’s very close to a really good playpark just on the other side of the road.”
The recommendation to approve the planning application was proposed by Cllr Kennedy, and seconded by Cllr Paul Duffy.
