PLANS for the creation of a café next to the Barony centre in Ardrossan have been approved.
The applicants sought planning permission and listed building consent for the demolition of an extension, used as a storage area, and the erection of a new extension to be used as a café at the Barony St John Centre in Princess Street.
The vacant, category B listed church building itself is not part of the plans, with the church hall having been sold into separate ownership when the church was closed; the hall has been used by the Scottish Centre for Personal Safety in recent years.
The café is designed to aid those who attend sessions run by the local charity. Operating hours will be between 10am and 5pm but it may also be used outwith these times by centre staff. It could also provide a food and drink service to visitors to the area.
A handling report published on North Ayrshire Council's website said that it was not considered that a café would detract from the “special architectural and historic interest” of the listed building.
READ MORE: Council orders owners of derelict listed building to tidy up and secure site
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