Plans for the £1.3 million Dungoyne Sports Hub in Ballybeen, Dundonald, have been given the green light.

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council will now start a procurement exercise to deliver the project. 

This sports hub will include a new full size grass football pitch realigned on the site, a new enclosed and floodlit 3G training MUGA pitch, changing rooms, roadside parking and footpaths.

It will be delivered across 32 weeks.

Alderman Paul Porter, Chairman of the Council's Leisure & Community Development Committee, said: "The Council is committed to ensuring that local communities in the Lisburn Castlereagh area have access to top quality sporting facilities and this new sports hub will be the latest addition to the Council's assets. 

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"It has been working in partnership with local community group Ballybeen Improvement Group (BIG) since 2013 when the Ballybeen Masterplan was developed. BIG has been working closely with the Council in recent years to ensure that the scheme ultimately forming the planning application would meet the needs of the local community.

"The location of this new sports hub is ideal as it is central for both Ballybeen residents and local schools, which may wish to use it for sports days and other physical activities as part of their curriculum. The 3G MUGA pitch will be able to be used by sports teams and local children all year round. This new sports hub is expected to attract sports players, coaches and teams in addition to uniting families at sports events and matches. The availability of onsite changing facilities is also an important addition to improve the suitability of the grounds for tournament matches," concluded Alderman Porter.

(CM/MH)