Rugby club ‘mega development’ is moving in the right direction
The new grass seeded

Rugby club ‘mega development’ is moving in the right direction

A RAPIDLY expanded rugby club has revealed details around its “mega development project” having sold its home ground in a deal believed to be worth in the region of €4 million.

Clondalkin Rugby Football Club (RFC) recently sold its land at Gordon Park in Kingswood to private developer, Greenwalk Development Limited, and purchased a much larger parcel of land in the locality.

As previously reported in The Echo, it is understood that the land in question is located in Baldonnell, just on the opposite side of the Naas Road to where the club is based now.

At present, the club, which was established in 1973, is undergoing pre-planning discussions with South Dublin County Council.

With the hope of applying for planning permission for the different phases of their new project in December, it is an exciting time in the club’s history as they approach their 50th year.

“It’s fantastic,” Clondalkin RFC Chairperson, Gerry Gilligan, tells The Echo.

“We’re approaching our 50th year and this sets the club up for the next 50 years.

The site in Baldonnell before worked started

“It’s a necessary move because of the rapid growth and expansion of our underage and youths.

“That’s what has had to drive this because there isn’t room for them where we are currently.

“Now we will have a place that can cater for what we have and more.”

The development of the new land will be completed across two phases in order to cater for the club, which has upwards of 600 registered members.

A significant section of the new property has been cleared and seeded with new grass in an attempt to have pitches ready to play on for September 2022.

Another crop of seeding will be completed in Spring 2022 to round out the first phase.

Phase two will be for the development of a new clubhouse and this is reliant on obtaining planning permission from the local planning authority.

In the interim, the club is planning to make arrangement for temporary accommodation at the Baldonnell site once they depart Gordon Park – which they are scheduled to do so in May 2022.

This new parcel of land is a significant upgrade and the club hopes to create a state-of-the-art facility in order to meet the demands of the next 50 years.

But to get there, the club will need to raise at least another €500,000 through fundraising and sporting grants to progress the development.

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