A former Baptist church in Armagh and the site of a former petrol forecourt are to make way for two new construction projects.

New jobs - around 30 - will be created with the opening in the summer of a new KFC drive-thru restaurant, which will be located at Lonsdale Road - on the site of the former Hillocks Hardware store.

At the same time, planning approval has just been given for other developments - a mix of commercial, office and residential - on the nearby Mall.

This represents a much-needed fillip for the beleaguered building trade in Co Armagh, with the planning application also including additional retail units.

-- Advertisement --

At the Mall, the amended scheme has been approved at the site of the former Baptist Tabernacle, which has lain vacant since the Baptist Church moved to its new building at Newry Road a number of years ago.

Full approval has now been given by DoE Planning Service - despite two objections - for two shops and six office units.

The development will be situated on the site of the old church and on lands to the rear of numbers one and two Mallview Terrace.

Consent for the demolition of the church, together with boundary walls and gates to the rear of 1 Mallview Terrace, has been granted to make way for the scheme, which has been on the books now since 2005.

Eight apartments are to be constructed close by, at the site of the old Mallview filling station and garage, which can now be demolished to allow the proposals to go ahead.

This application - again in the name of Drumeen Construction - has also been in the system for a number of years. There were no objections.

(BMcC/GK)