ATM on way to Tesco Express

The decision was delivered to last Thursday night’s Public Sector Liaison meeting of Ballymena Borough Council, by a senior planning officer.

She said the Planning Service had approved the previously refused Tesco application for a cash machine and associated cash office, despite receipt of two letters of objection.

The Planner clarified that the objections had centred on concerns over the perceived increase of foot and vehicular traffic that an ATM would attract to the premises.

However, the applicant, she said, had changed the proposed original location, had agreed to erect shutters over the ATM and to restrict its availability to the opening hours of the store, rather than permitting it to operate 24-hours.