Hard work pays off for centre with new 4G synthetic pitches approved

PLANS for 4G synthetic grass sports pitches and flood lights at lands adjacent to Belgard Community Centre, Tallaght, were approved at the recent South Dublin County Council meeting.

The council was seeking planning consent to develop 4G synthetic grass sports pitches and associated works at the site, including mesh-fencing, 12- metre floodlighting, CCTV, and eight car-parking spaces.

The site is located on the grounds of Belgard Community Centre.

The facility is managed by the Belgard Heights Community and Youth Centre, whose mission is to provide a focal point for the local community and to encourage local groups and individuals to use the centre and its facilities.

4G synthetic grass sports pitches are approximately 75 metres by 40 metres in size in total, and can be divided into three smaller pitches of approximately 40 metres by 25 metres in size.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Cathal King (SF) welcomed the move and congratulated the board of management and chair of the Belgard Community Centre “who have been working on this for many many years”, working with the community and fundraising including sports capital which is “vital for this to go ahead”.

Colm Ward, South Dublin County Council Director of Housing, Social and Community Development, said: “The board of management deserve huge credit for sticking with this through thick and thin. There was substantial fundraising carried out by the board. There is still substantial additional funds required for this. The original sports capital grant was for €150k.

“Obviously, this now has to go to tender, that will be another journey and the next phase of delivering this.”

According to a report at the meeting, the proposed development follows a successful sports capital grant application by the centre, who will be responsible for managing booking schedules, usage charges and the provision of changing areas within the existing centre if possible.

The centre’s board of management includes a representative from the council, who say their ongoing support for the centre will be related to continuing local community access, at reasonable cost, to the centre including the proposed new pitches.