Athgarvan pharmacy and surgery refused on technicality
Featured building is second from the right
PLANS for a first doctor’s surgery and pharmacy in the village of Athgarvan in years have failed because the present application contravenes an earlier 2019 permission that allowed development on the site only if part of the ground floor was kept aside for “community use”.
However, all does not seem lost, as there was enough sympathetic language used in the Planner’s Report that an amended re-application making proper reference to the 2019 grant, might just sneak through next time.
Plans to subdivide a 174sqm (0.0174Ha) commercial unit (Unit B) at Miller’s Square just down from the village crossroads were submitted as recently as 8 September by a Drogheda-based firm called Ocean Tech Solutions Ltd.
The simple plan sought a pharmacy of 91.5 sq m, and an adjacent 82.3sq m medical unit, where the pharmacy was to contain retail, dispensary, and consulting rooms, while the medical unit would have a reception and two, smaller surgery offices. Both were also to be fitted out with their own toilet and staff lounge as well.
The first floor is occupied by four apartments, and there is a courtyard with some parking at the back.
The six buildings were originally built 10 years ago, but permission for commercial usage on the ground floor was only granted in 2019 [19/745], as long as one of the ground floor units was kept for “community use”. The row of buildings is zoned ‘ Village Centre’, therefore the “principle of commercial use is acceptable”.
However, the first fly in the ointment appeared to be the developer’s wish for dual aspect access, ie. pedestrians from the front, and drivers from the back.
However, as all the pharmacy and consulting rooms are on the Curragh Road [north] side, the Planner noted that access from the car park to get to them would have to be past the staff lounge s and toilets. “The lack of quality dual aspect is regrettable,” he said.
However, his main problem was the lack of any reference to any “community use” space – a stipulation in 2019 – and this is what ultimately sank this application.
“No reference has been made to ‘Community Use’ at Unit B, and this permission shows no intent to amend the parent permission to remove community use,” said the Planner.
“As such, this permission would set an undesirable precedent for similar developments of this nature”.
