Saintfield centre to be given go-ahead

15 October 2014

LOCAL politicians are confident a new £3m leisure centre in Saintfield will go-ahead as planned, with work on the project starting next summer.
The new facility is scheduled to be constructed at the Belfast Road at the site of a former a warehouse, with Down Council hoping to secure funding support from the South Eastern Education and Library Board.
Last month, concern was expressed that the Saintfield centre could be in jeopardy after its construction was discussed by the fledgling Newry, Mourne and Down shadow council.
A working group is drawing up a capital programme for the new super council, but the Saintfield project, alongside plans for a new multi-million pound leisure centre in Downpatrick, had been excluded from a ‘green list’ of schemes included on a draft programme.
A decision on whether or not the Saintfield scheme proceeds will be taken at a meeting of the shadow council’s finance and recreation committee next week.
Rowallane councillor William Dick is confident the £3.4m scheme will be given the green light.
He said it was accepted by senior officials with the shadow council that the new Saintfield leisure centre will be delivered.
A project board set up to oversee the scheme held its most recent meeting at the start of the month.
Local people were given an opportunity last week to view the development plan during a public consultation event.
Down councillors heard on Monday evening that work on the economic appraisal has been completed and will be submitted to the shadow council, while a revised planning application to cover internal modifications — made in the wake of the public consultation event — is to be submitted shortly.
Councillor Dick said he was “delighted” the scheme has reached its current stage and is moving forward in a positive way. He believes it is only a matter of time before everything is in place to allow the scheme to proceed.
“We have had to overcome many hurdles and I am glad we are now at this stage. There is no doubt in my mind that this project will not go ahead,” he declared.
“The project board met recently to discuss the scheme and has approved the development plan. Consultants have been instructed to submit a revised planning application after people who took part in a public consultation event asked for some modifications to the proposed centre’s internal layout.”
Councillor Dick revealed planners have committed themselves to turning around the revised planning application as quickly as possible, hinting that permission should be in place by the end of the year to allow Down Council to go to tender in January.
He continued: “The new shadow council is fully aware of what is happening and what Down Council officers and councillors are doing in relation to delivering this particular scheme.
“There is a commitment from all parties on Down Council to deliver on the scheme and I am confident this will influence the shadow council to approve the project. The economic appraisal is ready to be submitted and there is nothing to indicate the Saintfield project will not be agreed.”
Councillor Dick added: “The shadow council’s chief executive and finance officer are fully aware of what we are doing and told us to continue the course we are on. We have had to overcome many hurdles over the years and it has been frustrating at times, but we are now moving forward to deliver this much-needed scheme.”

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