County Infirmary in line for new lease of life after approval for mixed development
CONVERSION Five-storey apartment building restaurant and coffee shop gets go ahead on historical site and neighbouring Banba Hall
Plans for the restoration of the now derelict County Infirmary on Navan's Bridge Street and the neighbouring Banba Hall, as part of a mixed-use development to provide 22 apartments, a restaurant and coffee shop have been given the go-ahead by Meath County Council.
A new five-storey apartment building is also part of the plans for the 0.34 hectares site which will have vehicular access from the Fair Green, as well as pedestrian access to the Infirmary building from Bridge Street.
Meath County Council has granted planning permission to Colette and Colum Geraghty for a mixed-use development including 22 residential units, car and cycle parking, coffee shop, deli and restaurant in three blocks with a total floor area of 2,509 square metres.The proposed development will see the infirmary building converted to provide 10 apartments as well as an extension to provide an entrance lobby, an entrance to covered parking and two one-bedroom apartments.
A single storey extension to the existing Master's House is proposed to provide a two-bedroom house. Also proposed is a new five-storey apartment block with nine apartments including a penthouse.
The restoration, conservation and conversion of the famous old Banba Hall at the rear of the site to a coffee shop, deli and restaurant is also part of the plan. It include a new ground floor kitchen and customer toilets, along with with a new first floor mezzanine to provide stores, staff facilities and overflow dining area.
Also included in the plan are 33 car parking spaces and 50 covered cycle parking spaces, and the widening of the existing entrance avenue from the Fair Green. Two submissions were received on the plans from the Navan Union of Parishes and one behalf of Navan and District Historial Society.
As part of the conditions, staircases dating back to 1754 and 1768 are to be retained and restored.
The Infirmary on Bridge Street is one of Navan's oldest buildings, dating back to 1754 and is a protected structure. It was used as a respite facility by the HSE until late 2010 but in the last decade has fallen into a poor state of disrepair.
Separately, plans for by the Academy Street Partnership for a major development at a nearby site on the corner of Circular Road and Bridge Street are currently being considered by Meath County Council. The application seeks permission for a four-six storey building with retail and office use at ground floor and office use proposed for the upper storeys.
Also included in the application is a land parcel across the road at the junction of Circular Road and Academy Street on which a residential and retail development is proposed. The plans include a ground floor unit of 574 square metre and 95 apartments in three blocks, ranging in height from three to nine storeys.