Ardglass pitch plan leads to meeting with residents

Ardglass pitch plan leads to meeting with residents

7 September 2016

ARDGLASS Football Club officials are encouraging Newry, Mourne and Down Council to press ahead with plans for a major investment in a local authority-owned sports pitch.

Council officials are planning to improve the pitch at The Meadow housing estate and erect a new fence around its permiter.

The proposal was discussed at a recent public meeting when a number of residents expressed concern about the proposed fence.

The Meadow ground is used by Ardglass Swifts who play in the Newcastle League’s Premier Division, but the pitch is also available to all local sports groups and organisations.

A number of residents insist while they have no issue with upgrading the pitch, they are opposed to the provision of the permiter fence, while Ardglass FC would like work on both developments completed.

Residents, local council and soccer club representatives were at the recent meeting after which a residents’ spokesman said people were opposed to the provision of the proposed fence which would be close to their homes.

He claimed while an overwhelming majority of people are not not happy with the fence proposal, they have no issue with upgrading the sports pitch.

“The proposed fence is just over one metre high,” said the spokesman. “Homes were built at The Meadow over four decades ago and we do not want this fence. While we have no issue with work to level the pitch and improve the playing surface, we do not want an ugly fence erected around it. We have made our position clear.”

The spokesman said there was also some concern that plans to extend an existing car park may impact on some residents.

He added: The council must listen to our concerns. We have made it clear that while proposals to upgrade the pitch are welcome, we have concerns about putting this fence around it and are concerned about the impact it will have on The Meadow.”

Ardglass FC official Hugh Hart — who attended the recent meeting — said a sports pitch had been in place at The Meadow for over four decades and explained the proposed perimeter fence was not dissimilar to those in place at many other soccer pitches across the district.

“We want the council to go through with what it plans to do at The Meadow and provide a playable surface for those who use this pitch, including local children,” he said.

“The fence is essentially there to protect the playing surface and to stop animals walking on to it and motorcycles or anything else getting on. The local authority is also talking about providing a couple of gates to allow tractors access to the pitch to cut the grass.”

Mr Hart said an offer was made to residents who attended last week’s meeting to take them to other sports pitches to view fences which have been erected in order to provide them with a better appreciation of what’s exactly proposed for The Meadow.

“This will not be a horrible, nasty looking fence as some believe. You can see through these fences and they are non-invasive. Newry, Mourne and Down Council would not go ahead with the planned major investment in the Ardglass pitch if it was not going to erect a fence to protect it,” he continued.

“The fence will help protect the playing surface and we believe the majority of people in Ardglass are behind the proposal to upgrade a sports pitch which is available for hire by any other sports club in the vicinity whenever they choose.”

A Newry, Mourne and Down Council spokesman said the purpose of the recent public meeting was to inform local people that a previous planning application for The Meadow was to be withdrawn and replaced with a new scheme which was outlined on the night.

“The proposal for a small fence surrounding the pitch was put forward with the intention to protect the new asset from animals fouling and also to prevent unauthorised trespass by vehicles such as motorbikes or quads,” he said.

“The renovation project is only at design concept stage and therefore full cost of the scheme is still to be established. Further consultation will take place with those concerned as the project develops and a planning application is submitted.”