Firm hired to assess sport needs

THE establishment of a sports campus for north Wicklow is a step closer, with Wicklow County Council having signed a contract with a specialist sports consulting company for the project.

The firm W2 has been hired by the counci to help planners understand the sporting needs of the area.

The proposed campus is linked to plans for a large development at old Fassaroe on the other side of the N11.

A number of sports clubs in the area, including Ardmore Rovers, hope to avail of the space once it becomes a reality.

50 acres of the site is proposed to be zoned as active open space, with the local area plan aspiring to turn that space into a state of the art sports campus.

An Bord Pleanala refused permission in December 2017, for the first phase in a Cosgrave development of around 1,800 unit, due to issues such as capacity of the N111/M11, and public transport infrastructure.

‘I have written to all the clubs and associations in north Wicklow encouraging them to have their say and will facilitate communication between the clubs and the consultants,’ said Deputy Stephen Donnelly.

‘ This is an incredible opportunity to ensure that any new facility is purpose-built to the community’s requirements.’ He said that he and Cllr Pat Vance have been working hard on the issue for a long time.

‘We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance now to have a sports campus that would rival any of those currently located in our major universities.’

Deputy Donnelly said that a major fund for sports capital projects is seeking applications, and he will be strongly supporting an application from Wicklow County Council for initial funding for the North Wicklow Sports Campus.

Concerns regarding the Fassaroe development as a whole are being addressed, including re-mediation of the old landfill, public transport links, and required works on the N11.