Residents divided over plans for new 3G all-weather pitch

Residents surrounding Greenhills Park are divided over plans for a new 3G pitch proposed by the council.

South Dublin County Council have published a Part 8 public notice of their plans to construct a synthetic grass 3G all-weather sports pitch, with perimeter fencing, six floodlighting columns and a pavilion with team changing rooms and storage area in the park.

“The development will see a new full size 3G pitch which will be of great benefit to the community, facilitating for GAA, rugby, and soccer,” the design overview stated, adding that the proposed location for the pitch is located on the site of an existing natural grass playing field.

While one group of residents have formed a Save The Green in Greenhills group, to stand “against the destruction of our local green area”, many others in the community are more welcoming of the proposed sports pitch.

Ger O’Looney, chairperson of Greenhills AFC, told The Echo that the new pitch would be a gamechanger for the 200 plus kids that play with the club and currently train on the grass pitch in the park during the summer.

“Basically, from around now to March, we don’t have anywhere to train.

‘We don’t have lights. We don’t have an astro” he said, adding that he spends many evenings removing dog poo and filling holes on the existing grass pitch to make it safe and playable for his young players.

The club must travel to pitches all around south Dublin to train in winter, as far away as Tallaght, Ballyfermot, Bluebell and Lucan.

“90% that’s our kids are local kids living in the area, so their moms and dads are having to drive all over all over the place for somewhere to train.

“We spent somewhere in the region of €20,000 last year just for six months to train, and that’s only one hour, one night a week,” he said

Ger sees the new pitch as an asset not just for his club, but for other local teams including Robert Emmets GAA club and Manortown Utd FC, as well as local schools.

He feels that a small group have begun “scaremongering” over the 3G pitch proposal.

“The rest of the park is there, people coming in running in the park, they still can run the park. People can still walk their dogs in the park.”

Over 130 submissions have been added to the council’s proposal for the pitch on their site consult.sdublincoco.ie, divided between those who think it a “fantastic addition” and those who feel it will have “an extremely detrimental impact” on the area.

The public consultation period for this Part 8 development ends on October 30, and the public can lodge submissions on the council website until 5pm that day.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme