GAA to sell nine acres in Spawell
By Mary Dennehy
THE Dublin County Board has appointed property consultants to dispose of over nine acres of its 35- acres Spawell site, The Echo has learned.
In 2017, the Dublin County Board purchased the 35-acres Spawell site for a reported €9m.
The land for sale includes the car park
As previously reported in The Echo, the GAA hopes to develop a cluster of pitches on the Templeogue site that will act as a centre of excellence training facility for all clubs in the area.
The Spawell was back on the agenda this week, when it was announced at a County Committee Meeting that 9.14 acres of Spawell site is being disposed of.
It is understood that the Dublin County Board has appointed property consultants to dispose of just under a quarter of the Spawell site – with the proceeds of the sale being off-set against the loan received to purchase the property from the GAA Central Council.
When contacted by The Echo this week, Dublin County Board chairperson Sean Shanley confirmed that the sale of 9.14 acres of land will not impact on the GAA’s plans to develop four pitches and a training area at the Spawell.
According to Mr Shanley, the GAA is retaining the pitch-and-putt greens, the driving range and a small part of the commercial element for its sporting development.
He also confirmed that once the land is sold-off, the County Board hopes to be in a position to get started on the first pitch.
The 9.14 acres of land on the market includes the car park to the front of the site and a number of commercial aspects, including the pub and the astro pitches.
Back in 2017, there was widespread reports that the GAA also had plans to develop a 25,000 seater stadium at the Spawell complex.
However, it has since been confirmed that a stadium is not part of the GAA’s training facility plans.
Planning permission for a five storey hotel, two-storey leisure centre and over 550 car parking spaces is valid on the Spawell site until April 2020.
