Fingal provides update on Ballymastone recreational and sporting hub

Fingal County Council has provided an update on the upcoming recreational and sporting hub at Ballymastone in Donabate.

The muchly anticipated campus was given the green light by local councillors last summer after a public consultation process.

Out of the 101 submissions made on the scheme by the public, 97 were in favour of the project.

Late last month Labour councillor Robert O’Donoghue asked the council to give an update on the progress of the development.

He asked the local authority “to include the projected timescale for the delivery of this project, which now includes the existing car park, and to outline the current situation regarding the tender process including the need to prioritise the construction of the new entrance road into the hub.”

In response, Fingal county Council said that works on the two all-weather playing pitches are due to begin later this year.

“The council has engaged a specialist sports surface consultant to prepare specifications for the two works contracts at the Ballymastone Recreational Hub,” it said.

“The first contract is for the development of two GAA sized grass pitches which will allow for the revised lease arrangements with the local sports club required for the development of the all-weather facilities and associated infrastructure.

“The ground investigations required for the preparation of these specifications have been completed and procurement of works is anticipated later in the summer.”

The council said it was still too early in the process to provide a detailed timeline for the completion of the project.

“Subject to arrangements with the club affected, arrangements to assess the ground conditions at the planned all-weather facilities (located on existing pitches) will be carried out in the coming weeks allowing for the preparation of the specifications for the all-weather facilities.

“At this stage it is difficult to provide a precise timeline for the procurement of the all-weather facilities as this is somewhat related to the results of the ground investigations assessment.

“Works relating to the future use of the existing car park are outside the scope of the contracts referred to above.

“The council however will continue to liaise with the clubs using the car park in relation to the future use of this part of the Ballymastone site,” it says.