Portadown filling station’s desire to retain footbridge refused planning permission – Armagh I

Portadown: The owner of Lavery’s filling station wanted to keep a footbridge over the Corcrain River, but the planning folks said no. They felt the bridge didn’t meet the needs of everyone, especially those with mobility issues, since it has steps.

The footbridge connects a car park to another one nearby. The owner thought raising it a bit and adding handrails would make it better. But the planning officers pointed out that there’s already a bridge just a short walk away, making this one kind of unnecessary.

They also raised concerns about flooding in the area. The planning application was submitted by a local architecture firm, but it seems they didn’t convince the officers that the bridge was really needed. The report mentioned that while the design looked good, it just didn’t work for everyone.

In the end, the planning officers decided that keeping the bridge wouldn’t be a good idea, especially since it wouldn’t help those who need easier access. So, it looks like the footbridge will have to go.