Portadown: planning approval for conversion of former restaurant to apartments

Although the property appears to be a two-storey building when viewed from Bridge Street, it is actually a three-storey building, as the rear elevation shows.

The lower ground floor will be used for storage and will be accessed from the rear, while the first and second floor will be altered to accommodate two apartments on each floor, each with one bedroom.

To the rear is 120m2 of external communal outdoor space and bin storage area, and seven car-parking spaces.

At ground floor the commercial windows are to be replaced with rectangular windows, while maintaining the same window pattern.

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Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Planning officers stated in their report: “The use of the premises for residential use would not be incongruous and would be an appropriate use within the locality.

“There is a mixture of residential, commercial and community buildings within proximity to the site.

“The building will remain the same. The only discernible change will be at ground-floor level with the removal of the commercial windows, and the replacement with windows which maintain the first and second-floor window pattern.

“The use will not change the character of the area and officers consider the use of the building for residential purposes acceptable.”

François Vincent, Local Democracy Reporter