Motion amid ‘frustration’ over pitch upgrade plans

The GAA and soccer pitch designs for Kilbroney Park, including the location of a changing room pavilion, have been with Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) since December 2020.

But concerns over part of the planned redevelopment have been raised at Council with a letter from the council’s planning department highlighting possible impacts on a popular tourist trail known as ‘The Fairy Glen’.

The letter reads: “Concerns still remain on the nature and extent of the engineering operation required to deliver the enhanced playing pitches within this sensitive area.

“In particular it is considered that the detail included within the site layout and site sections drawings are insufficient to fully demonstrate the potential impact on the Fairy Glen Rostrevor River Walkway.”

The letter adds: “As advised, the Planning Department considers that the proposed revised location of the pavilion is unacceptable in planning terms if approved at this location, would be visually intrusive at this location and would have a detrimental impact on the recreational amenity value of this sensitive corridor, in particular the pedestrian walkway and river corridor.”

The letter further states that a new site for the pavilion, which has already been proposed, could potentially be rejected due to its location close to Rostrevor Stream and a risk of being in a “one in 100 year flood plain”.

A response is yet to be made by DfI Rivers and Shared Environmental Services on this aspect of the proposal.

Crotlieve independent councillor Jarlath Tinnelly has now brought forward a motion seeking an intervention by elected reps to remove the pavilion and “break the logjam” on the planning proposal.

He said: “This council shares the frustration and disappointment of the wider Crotlieve football and sporting fraternity, that almost three years after a planning application was submitted to upgrade the existing playing pitches at Kilbroney Park, information remains outstanding that would allow the planning department to complete their deliberations and bring forward a recommendation.

“Council notes the latest correspondence on the planning portal between the planning department and the project managers and agrees that an intervention from elected members is both appropriate and necessary to help break the logjam.

“Council now instructs the project managers to withdraw the pavilion/changing room element from this current application and to immediately provide the remaining outstanding information as requested by the planning department so a recommendation regarding the upgrading of the pitches themselves can be made without further delay.”

Cllr Tinnelly added: “Furthermore, project managers will immediately seek to identify an alternative site for the pavilion and will submit a separate planning application for a pavilion within three months of this meeting.

“Project managers will also provide a monthly update to council regarding the other outstanding matters as requested by the planning department.”

The motion is to be debated further at the NMDDC’s strategy, policy and resources committee.