Former West Belfast GP surgery to become Relatives For Justice centre

A planning application proposes converting the former Glen Road (Norfolk Parade) GP surgery in West Belfast into a Relatives For Justice community advice centre and offices, with neighbour consultation open until February 12 and no work reported to have started.

A planning application has been submitted to convert the former GP surgery at 1a Norfolk Parade in West Belfast into a Relatives For Justice community advice centre and office. The building was the Glen Road Surgery branch that closed in late 2022 when services were consolidated at Carrick Hill Medical Centre. The application is listed on the NI Planning Portal and gives details about the applicant and agent. It also notes the site has not been worked on and that consultation with neighbours is under way. Application details: - The proposal requests change of use from a doctors' surgery to a community advice centre and office, and the addition of a new access door at 1a Norfolk Parade, Belfast, BT11. - The applicant is named as Bill Rollston and the agent as O'Callaghan Planning; the neighbour consultation expiry date on the planning record is February 12 and there are no neighbour comments yet. - The application states no work has been carried out so far, that the change is permanent, and that the current four parking spaces will remain unchanged. - The Norfolk Parade site closed in late 2022 when Crossin and Higgins GP surgery consolidated services into Carrick Hill Medical Centre; the practice cited GP shortages, rising workloads and retirements as reasons for the move. - Relatives For Justice was formed in 1991 and already operates offices and satellite sessions across Northern Ireland; the group offers therapeutic support, welfare and benefits advice, advocacy and community programmes. Summary: If approved, the building would be used by Relatives For Justice as a community advice centre and office. The closure of the GP branch had previously forced more than 3,000 patients to travel for appointments and drew criticism from local politicians. Neighbour consultation is open until February 12. Undetermined at this time.