Playing pitches land delay as long running as ‘Dallas’
LOUTH County Council say they are ‘currently negotiating’ with the landowner to acquire the final piece of land which would allow the development of playing pitches at Newtownstalaban.
Cllr Frank Godfrey queried the delay in securing the much needed facility, saying the plans have been going on for years.
‘‘I don’t want this to run as long as Dallas. The kids will be grown up by the time we get the pitches,’ he warned.
‘Clubs are depending on these pitches.’
He says there is enough land for nine pitches.
Cllr Tommy Byrne said that up to 2,500 boys and girls play soccer in the area and maybe the FAI would help. ‘I think it’s money delaying it,’ he remarked. ‘ There’s any amount of land for sport there.’
Cllr Kevin Callan said that there would be no funding at this stage of the year as it needed to be part of the budget process.
Cllr Kenneth Flood urged that any development have footpaths and lighting. ‘When developments are going on and there no collections with footpaths I wonder what planners were thinking about.’
Cllr Oliver Tully wanted to know if the land was zoned for pitches and would there be dressing rooms.
Mayor Pio Smith said that Graham Russell from the council had put a lot of work into it and €150,000 had been secured via a grant for it.
‘Maybe if we keep parking at €1.20, we can get an extra €200,000 for the project!,’ he added.
Cllr Tommy Byrne further explained that there was full planning permission on the site since 2004.