COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF TALLAGHT AREA COMMITTEE

Monday, April 24, 2023

QUESTION NO.

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

"Would the Manager please indicate to this Area Committee if he is in a position to offer advise and information to the Kingswood Heights Residents Association regarding the installation a Sports Hub in the Kingswood Area, as part of the County Development Plan, and could the Manager also indicate if a joint Sports Capital Grant application for such a project would be supported by South Dublin County Council and would this venture require a Part Eight process if the Sports Hub is to be located on Council owned Open Space?"

REPLY:

The Council provided a sum of €20,000 for the upgrade of the Kingswood tennis courts in the 2020 public realm improvement works programme and this was in response to requests from the local community, residents association and elected representatives to do so.  Arrangements had been made in early 2020 for a joint visit by Council staff and residents association representatives to a private premises to view recently completed tennis court upgrade works, however the arrival of the pandemic in March of that year prevented that visit from going ahead and the works at Kingswood did not proceed.  The Council has confirmed that the commitment to spend €20,000 to upgrade the tennis courts will be honoured and at the present time there is no other funding available for other works in the area.

The Council is aware of the wishes of some local sports clubs and others to have additional sports facilities provided in the area.  The preliminary proposals which have been prepared by this group have been examined and it is clear that substantial funding would be required for the provision of such a facility.   It is most likely that the project would require sports capital funding, the provision of the necessary matching funds and the necessary planning consent for the project if it were to proceed.  The Council’s Public Realm Section is happy to meet with the interested groups, clubs and elected representatives to consult on this matter and discuss all of the above issues.