Plans to turn nightclub into housing takes step closer

COUNCIL planners have recommended a well-known former bar and nightclub in Omagh be turned into 12 town centre apartments.

The premises on Castle Street was formerly the site of McElroy’s bar and nightclub, before a brief period as a teenage disco, but has been vacant for around eight years.

If councillors on the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council planning committee approve the application from local firm Rymat Ltd, the building will be converted into ten two-bedroom apartments, along with two with one bedroom.

A report by planning officers recommending the application be approved states, “The loss of this building to a residential use will not have a significant detrimental impact on the vitality of the town centre as there are numerous other vacant properties located elsewhere in the town centre for businesses.”

Officers received one objection to the plans from a neighbouring property based on concerns about parking and traffic “disruption and chaos”.

Among other points, the objector said, “If cars are parked along Castle Lane, a footpath would not leave enough room for traffic to pass or exit from the car park behind Sacred Heart Church.”

In response to the representation, planning officers stated, “Following comment from DFI Roads the new layout was amended removing the proposed footpath along Castle Lane. There is now no change to the current street layout and therefore no conflict with policy.”

The report states that residents of the proposed development will have to rely on public parking in the “immediate vicinity” of the building.

However, they note that the apartments are “within reasonable walking distance of local public recreation areas and facilities”. The development would also see the creation of an internal central courtyard as a “residential amenity space”.

No date has been provided on when the application will be considered by planning committee.

By James Kelly

j.kelly@ulsterherald.com