Ballycastle leisure centre, swimming pool and BMX park get green light from Causeway Coast and Glens Council

At a planning committee meeting on Wednesday, August 28, members approved the plans for new leisure centre with swimming pool, gym, studios and associated accommodation at the current Council-owned sports grounds at 13-39 Quay Road.

Plans also include provision for an accessible play park, BMX pump track and “alteration to site access, additional car/coach parking and landscape features”.

The council’s Development Management and Enforcement Manager, Shane Mathers, said the proposal entails the loss of the existing synthetic pitch and a portion of the GAA pitch, equating to a loss of around 10% of the overall site.

Mr Mathers added: “While Planning Policy Statement (PPS) Policy OS1 has a presumption against the loss of open space, an exception is provided where the proposal would bring about substantial community benefits that decisively outweigh that loss. In this case, the provision of a state-of-the-art leisure centre meets that test.

“Additionally, the loss of the synthetic pitch is offset by the provision of new playing field facilities at the shared education campus site in Ballycastle.

“The existing access point to Quay Road is to be upgraded by setting back of the existing stone wall, not along the full front of the Quay Road, but on the area of the access to improve visibility and the provision of a right turn lane.

“The Department For infrastructure (DfI) Roads is content with the arrangements and 104 parking spaces are provided, with its appearance made acceptable through the use of block paving and screen hedging.

“While NI Water initially recommended refusal due to network capacity issues a waste water impact assessment was provided, which identified a solution.”

DUP Councillor Mervyn Storey enquired why the proposal was initially deemed unsuitable by NI Water but later approved.

Mr Mathers clarified that NI Water had identified a network capacity issue, which refers to the capacity of the infrastructure that deals with the sewage from the site to the sewage treatment plant.

“That’s where the issue was,” he concluded, “so the applicant went down the route of a wastewater impact assessment and the solution will have to be put through at the expense of the applicant.”