A former County Armagh bank is to be given a new lease of life with plans approved for a mixed-use retail and residential development – complete with roof-top gardens!
The iconic red-brick building at 39 Market Street in Lurgan had been home to Danske Bank, and had served for such purposes for decades.
Shortly after its closure, the historic property was put on the market.
And, fast forward mere months and fresh plans emerged.
John Aidan Kelly, of Dungannon, submitted proposals to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council early in 2024.
He signalled his intent to create apartments across upper floors, with the ground floor to remain for retail uses.
There were no letters or petitions of objection or support for the proposals, which have this week been given the go-ahead.
Two applications – one for listed building consent – have been approved.
The building sits on the corner of Market Street and Carnegie Street and was built around 1901. It has always served its purpose for use by the banking industry.
But when it closed it became evident that a new use and direction – and one that would be financially viable – was required.
The entire first and second floors will be transformed from professional, financial use into apartments, with some residential needs further accommodated at ground floor. There will be some external works to provide a new doorway and entrance steps at ground floor level.
Planning officials, in considering the application, described the intended future ground floor accommodation as comprising a “large office space” and residential.
The first and second floors would boast a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments.
There would also be two communal rooftop garden areas featured in plans – one upper and one lower area, with both linked.
According to the planning officers’ report, they considered that while this proposal was not part of a mixed-use, retail-led development, it was “never a retail unit on the ground floor which forms part of the primary retail frontage”.
The report adds: “The building has a long history as being used as a bank. This building has been vacant for a long time.
“The existing ground floor will be retained as an office, where it fronts onto Market Street; the portion of the ground floor office that fronts onto Carnegie Street will be converted to form a residential unit. The whole building will be brought back into use under this proposal, resulting in the maintenance and retention of an important listed building in Lurgan.”
Having consulted with Historic Environment Division, they were of the opinion that “the proposed change of use of this building on this site will mitigate against loss of historic fabric and maintains the special character of the listed building”.
Officers also contacted the Department for Infrastructure to discuss parking.
Having considered on-street parking availability – as well as the application site’s close proximity to the town centre and good access links to public transport – provision was “deemed acceptable”.
DfI Roads “noted that that the development proposal is likely to generate fewer overall trips and less parking demand that current use”, while officers were “satisfied that the proposed development will not prejudice road safety or significantly inconvenience the flow of traffic”.
Additional supporting information, submitted on behalf of the applicant in October 2024, had indicated there would be “very little works” carried out to the exterior of what is a Grade B1 Listed Building.
And the submission added: “The applicant notes that in order to secure the long-term future of the building and to secure its upkeep an additional element of residential use is required. This is required in order to make the scheme economically viable.
“The change of use of this small area on the ground floor to accommodate a single residential unit will make a significant difference in terms of the viability of the project as a whole.
“The upkeep of the building will clearly assist in terms of preserving it from a heritage perspective, but it also contributes to
addressing the aforementioned town centre vacancy rates in Lurgan.
“Allowing the proposed development to continue will allow for the continued use of the building and restrict the potential for the building to fall into a state of disrepair.”
The occupation of the building would “contribute to the heritage conservation of the building and the wider vitality of the town centre in Lurgan”, something which officials have obviously agreed in by now giving the go-ahead to proceed.
