New sports facility for Saintfield would benefit community

New sports facility for Saintfield would benefit community

18 July 2012

TALKS are continuing to secure the land required to pave the way for a major new community and sports facility in Saintfield.

The new centre at The Demesne is at the heart of the town’s ambitious development plan which was made public several weeks ago.

The plan has been drawn up by Saintfield Town Regeneration Committee which will also be responsible for spearheading the drive to secure funding for five key projects.

In addition to the new community and sports facility, other schemes which feature heavily in the development plan include a new play park at The Demesne, helping shop owners upgrade their respective premises, an environmental improvement scheme focusing on Main Street and the Fair Green areas, and new car park and turning area designed to ease traffic congestion at the Academy Primary School at the Listooder Road.

Regeneration officials say the development plan aims to improve the quality of life in the area and encourage diversification of economic activity.

People in Saintfield have already been asked for their views on the way forward and while support was expressed for a number of schemes, the five projects at the heart of the development plan received the strongest levels of support.

The overwhelming majority of people who completed questionnaires highlighted the need for a new community and sports facility and with the development plan now published, regeneration officials want Down Council to take into account the “demonstrable needs and expectations” of Saintfield people when future capital expenditure across the district is being allocated.

Previous economic appraisals in 2009 and the following year provided support for the provision of a new community and sports facility in Saintfield and local people now want to see it delivered.

The appraisals contained almost 110 written statements of support from local people, each highlighting the current lack of modern facilities and the high level of sporting need in the area.

The new development plan makes it clear that the existing shale hockey pitch at The Demesne is no longer up to standard and is unsuitable for senior league hockey.

The report also argues that from a sporting perspective, Saintfield urgently needs an upgrade in sports pitches in order to provide for the larger number of people who want to play sport in the town, including around 1,125 school pupils and and 550 junior sports club members.

In addition to a new sand-dressed synthetic hockey pitch, The Demesne proposal also includes an ultra-modern 3G floodlit football pitch.

The development plan argues that with government policy encouraging sport in the community in order to promote healthier lifestyles, “this can be seen not as a luxury, but as a necessity for Saintfield.”

It continues: “Saintfield has suffered from a lack of investment in its sporting and community infrastructure and now is the time for this to be addressed.

“The integrated development plan, through community consultation, highlights not only the need, but where the community would like this facility to be located — as an extension to the existing sports club.”

Regeneration officials say the delivery of facilities at The Demesne will provide the new sporting and community hub for Saintfield which is so badly needed and that lobbying for its delivery must continue.