Farm shop, café and bar among plans for major Co Down rural development
Application proposes restaurant, covered outdoor seating and landscaped facilities at Gill Hall Farm near Dromore
A planning application has been lodged for a major farm diversification project on lands close to No 103 Villa Wood Road, Dromore.
The plans, lodged by Gill Hall Farm, include the erection of a farm shop with associated café and bar, external seating covered by tensile canopy, associated WCs, provision for 43 car-parking spaces, boundary treatments, hard and soft landscaping, and all associated site works.
The proposed restaurant has 48 seats, alongside a bar with 39 seats, in addition to a tensile structure fixed to steel posts which would provide covered seating, with a fire pit as a central feature.
Additional facilities would include showers, a kitchen, a delivery area, and bicycle spaces.
In terms of landscaping, all existing trees and hedgerows would be retained, in addition to new native planting.
The planning application was lodged by Bell Rolston, Newtownabbey, on May 25, and it is currently at the consultation stage.
NI Water have no issue with the planning application, and they noted the following: “The planning application has not identified the intention to connect to the public wastewater system as a means of disposal.
“The applicant has identified their intention to use on-site wastewater treatment.”
Potential flooding and drainage issues have been identified by DfI Rivers.
The NI Environment Agency Water issued the following determination: “Catchment Unit has considered the impacts of the proposal on the surface water environment and, on the basis of the information provided, is content with the proposal subject to conditions.”
Other statutory bodies are being consulted as well.