Solution in Castlewellan pitch fall-out

Solution in Castlewellan pitch fall-out

23 March 2016

TWO sports clubs who were at loggerheads over a pitch in Castlewellan may have found a way forward.

St Malachy’s GAC and Castlewellan Town Football Club are considering a joint proposal on use of the upper pitch at Bann Road playing field.

St Malachy’s GAC had asked the local authority to grant them a long-term lease of the upper pitch at Bann Road but Castlewellan Town Football Club had objected, claiming the soccer club has been principal users of the pitch over the past five years.

Both clubs had also expressed a separate interest in developing the pitch to 4G standard with floodlighting.

In a recent letter to Newry, Mourne and Down Council, St Malachy’s GAC said it had been “totally frustrated” at delays to its application which was first made in 2013 to Down Council. Castlewellan Town FC in turn said it feared many of its teams would be made homeless.

However at Monday’s meeting of Newry Mourne and Down Council’s Active and Health Communities committee, council director Michael Lipsett said he had had a “very productive meeting” with the two clubs, who were considering moving forward on some form of joint proposal.

Mr Lipsett said it would remain to be seen what happened when the proposal came out, but he was “very hopeful” that certain issues had been resolved.

Councillor Laura Devlin urged that the matter remained on the council agenda for further updates.

Questioned by councillor Stephen Burns as to whether any other interested parties in the pitch had been in touch, Mr Lipsett said he wasn’t aware of any as yet but was happy to meet with any group.

Councillor Burns also referred to a request for the lease of Annsborough Playing Fields to Aughlisnafin GAC, which the council has put on hold pending the development of a policy for dealing with such requests.

He said that it was important, whatever the leasing situation, that the potholed car park was resurfaced. 

“It is in an absolutely dire state,” he said. 

Councillor Burns said there was also a problem with dog fouling at the grounds that needed to be addressed.

Councillor Patrick Clarke also urged the council to grant a long-term lease to Aughlisnafin GAC as soon as possible.