Published: Wednesday, 4th August, 2010 5:00pm

Gaelic games centre of excellence gets go-ahead

Roscommon County Council has given the thumbs up to ambitious plans by Roscommon GAA to develop a major centre of excellence at Oran.

The proposed development comprises seven all-weather natural grass playing pitches and a running track, an all-weather synthetic training area, a double sided hurling wall and a clubhouse facility including gymnasium and changing room facilities and all ancillary facilities including offices, meeting rooms, physical therapy rooms and storage areas.

The provision of parking and ancillary delivery areas, a storage/maintenance building. Provision is also made for new distributor road and vehicular access off the local road to the south, all ancillary engineering services including wastewater treatment plant and percolation area, floodlighting to 3 no. playing pitches, an ESB substation and all associated site development works including ground works, landscaping, demolition of an existing ruinous dwellinghouse and removal of existing access serving this dwellinghouse at Runnabackan Townland, Oran.

The plans were submitted in April last and Roscommon County Council subsequently sought further information.

Approval was formally granted for the project last week, subject to 17 conditions, including that the facility be used for training purposes only and that no more than three pitches be occupied at any one time.