Kilbroney Park: Sports teams call council upgrade delays ‘astounding’

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council (NMDDC) has had plans for GAA and soccer pitch designs for Kilbroney Park, including the location of a changing room pavilion, since December 2020. A planning application was submitted on 30 April 2021, yet no decision has been made on the internal papers.

The south Down playing fields have been used by local clubs for almost 30 years with St Bronagh’s GAC and Rossowen FC now standing together to call out the local authority’s “astounding” delays as “unacceptable”.

Releasing a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Rossowen FC said:”From the council assumed ownership of Kilbroney Park in 1977/78, its relationship with the footballing fraternity in the village has been virtually zero.

“Considering soccer teams in Rostrevor can be found back in the late 1800s it is unfortunate that the local council hasn’t encompassed the tradition.

“Our flourishing youth programme continues to grow, but the lack of facilities in 2025 continues to astound all involved.

“The club has no access to on site changing facilities of any description, that is no sanitary facilities, no water, no cover /shelter from the elements, all of this is contrary to IFA (Irish Football Association) governing body competition regulations.

“This prevents the club from playing in Rostrevor in an IFA sanctioned competition. And complement this with a sub-standard playing surface, which frequently witnesses games cancelled or interrupted for the removal of dog excrement, it is undoubtedly unacceptable.

“Our Ladies team, our first ever, who won a tournament in Newry, were forced to withdraw from all leagues that they applied to due to the lack of changing facilities.

“We constantly encourage our youth players to make the break through to senior football, but when they ask why can’t we play games in Rostrevor? We have no answers and are constantly losing players to other clubs due to the lack of facilities.”

The Kilbroney plans were amended in April 2024, after a letter from the council’s planning department highlighted possible impacts on a popular tourist trail known as ‘The Fairy Glen’.

At that point, the changing pavilion construction was removed from the application.

The soccer club now states that its very future existence in the NMDDC area may come into question as it currently looks towards Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC)facilities for its youth.

The statement adds: "The majority of our youth teams participate in the Lisburn District Leagues.

“Due to our lack of facilities our home matches are 40 plus miles away. While we admire the council facilities that Lisburn has to offer it is the cost and commitment to parents and coaches, which we have to weigh up.

“We are constantly worried that these hurdles may prove too high in subsequent seasons and unless we secure better facilities in Rostrevor we could see a reduction in youth participation numbers.

“The question has to be asked, why is the council so obsessed in denying the necessary and approved improvements to the playing fields in Kilbroney Park…have they another agenda?

“The people of Rostrevor are exhausted with their (NMDDC) inactivity and lack of interaction. It will be left to Rossowen FC and their village GAA counterparts to determine their next course of action. In light of prior non-development and non-communication what transpires will have to be a lot more stringent and community engaging.”

Further potential issues over the pitch upgrades have been highlighted following a visual impact report by the council’s integrated consultancy team, ‘Tetra Tech’.

The same company was appointed in March 2024 by NMDDC to help deliver the long awaited Newry City Park at Albert Basin. A planning application for the 15-acre park was submitted earlier this month with the local authority expecting completion of the site by 2027.

A statement from St Bronagh’s GAA released to the LDRS, reads: “This five year period only scratches the surface of the actual timeframe in which we have been waiting on a fit for purpose facility on this site, dating back almost 40 years to the previously failed project.

“How it is taking so long to get these redevelopment plans into meaningful action is astounding. On so many occasions we have been told that things are progressing, and that council is awaiting feedback from statutory bodies, but yet as we stand today, we seem no closer to the project coming to fruition.

“We have a thriving GAA for all community within our club, these players and their families would benefit hugely from having a fully accessible area to train at and feel comfortable in when our own pitch is unavailable due to matches.

“As it stands these players and their families are having to make do with inconsistent and uncertain training schedules, locations and facility provision which is simply not good enough and quite frankly embarrassing for this area.”

Independent Crotlieve councillor, Jarlath Tinnelly has previously rasied his concerns with NMDDC and has asked the council’s planner to bring the matter to the chamber for elected members to “interrogate” any reports.

After the Kilbroney plans were initially submitted, the council area of Mourne Gullion and Strangford has since been designated a UNESCO Global Geopark (May 2023) which includes the south Down Kilbroney Park area. The council has denied the international status has played a part in any delay.

St Bronagh’s added: “Our peak training and match volume occurs from April-September when all teams are in competition.

“During this period of time it is hard not to feel for our club coaches who give of their time so willingly to help our young players, only to be training on a substandard surface with no changing facilities, sanitary facilities or shelter of any sort which all raise safeguarding concerns for our teams, some of whom simply cannot use Kilbroney Park for training as it stands for these reasons.

“We ask the council to make this project an urgent priority, to take a firm grip of the application, and bring it to planning for decision without any further delay so that work can begin to give the local area, our members and community a facility that is fit for purpose, is on par with other council lead facilities across the country, and is something we can be proud of.”

A NMDDC spokesperson told the LDRS: "A planning application for the development of sports pitches at Kilbroney Forest Park is currently being considered as part of the planning process.”