Just a few weeks from the closure of the Lurgan branch of the Ulster Bank at 14 – 16 Market Street, consent has been granted for the removal of the two ATMs at the front of the listed building.
The building will be reinstated as it would have looked like prior to the ATMs being fitted, with a three-bay window frame to match the adjacent ones, and infill with stone to match the remainder of the stonewall feature.
The blue ‘Ulster Bank’ signage and night safe will be removed as well.
The Historic Environment Division (HED), who were consulted to consider the application to remove the existing ATMs, wrote in their determination: “HED Historic Buildings (HED:HB) has considered the effects of the proposal on the listed building, and on the basis of the information provided is content the proposal satisfies the policy requirements.
“No works shall commence on site unless a full schedule and specification of stonework repairs and replacement have been submitted to, and approved in writing by the [ABC] Council.
“All new external and internal works and any works of making good shall match the existing original fabric in respect of matching materials, form, composition and finish, in the interests of the special architectural and historic qualities of the listed building.
“No works shall commence on site unless joinery details for the external windows have been submitted to, and approved in writing by the Council.
“It is a common misconception that only the exterior, the front or only a section of a building is listed. The building is listed in its entirety, internally and externally.”