Ballymena: Church seeks change of use of cafe for community hub in response to 'real need'
A Ballymena church has applied to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council for planning permission to operate a community hub in the town.
Wellington Presbyterian Church has submitted an application to the planning department for temporary change of use from a cafe to a proposed community hub/drop-in centre. The application relates to Riverdale Cafe at Tullygarley Road.
The application noted: “The church has obtained the premises on an initial three-year lease to trial this community facility.”
A supporting statement submitted by Wellington Presbyterian Church said: “We were offered the opportunity from the owner of a local premises last used as a commercial café, to open a ‘Community Warm Space’ for several weeks over the winter.
“By simply opening the doors of the former café and creating a welcoming safe space for people in the local community to come in and chat, grab a free cuppa and some heat, we have discovered that there is a real need in the Tullygarley area for something like this longer term.
“With that in mind, we would like to carry on this community space for a longer period of time – initially up to three years – to see how we, the church, can reach out and support those within the local community of Tullygarley by offering a warm, safe and welcoming space for anyone in the community to drop in to.
“We initially plan to open the ‘drop-in’ several mornings during the week and then hopefully progress to add some other initiatives such as ‘homework clubs’ some afternoons.
“We would also like to open for a limited number of evenings throughout the year for a drop-in, chatty café, warm space etc, and for informal events run by the church such as Hope Explored, Alpha or Christianity Explored, where anyone in the local community could be welcome to drop in and attend for the three or four evenings such courses would be running.”
The statement noted there will be no internal or external changes to the existing café as a result of this proposal.
The statement continued: “It is our understanding that the proposal is widely welcomed by the Tullygarley community, including the neighbouring residents who very much see this as a positive development for the community.”
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter