County board move to amend granted pitch planning permission

PLANS have been lodged by Clare County Board to amend planning permission that was granted last year for training pitches in Tulla. The board is now seeking planning so that the facility can provide for competitive matches catering for up to 1,500 members of the public.
The initial planning application, which was granted in January 2009, allowed for the development of five grassed pitches, a synthetic all-weather pitch, a grassed training area, grassed hill sprint area, synthetic running track, retractable netting system behind each goal, car parking for 171 spaces and six flood lighting masts to pitches one to four at Caherlogan, Tulla.
Clare County Board has now applied to amend this planning application so that the facility could allow for competitive matches to be played there.
The amendment being sought proposes the broadening of the facility from the sole purpose of a training facility to the allowance of competitive matches for visiting members of the public up to a capacity of 1,500.
Although the amendment, if granted, would allow for competitive matches to be played, Clare County Board chairman, Michael O’Neill, has stressed that the main function of the facility will be for training purposes.
The board is also seeking planning for the provision of additional parking, increasing the overall capacity to 375 car spaces and the provision of eight bus/coach parking together with a coach set-down area. In addition, the board is seeking planning for the construction of a covered standing terrace west of pitch three, which would have a capacity for up to 1,500 spectators.
Furthermore, planning is being sought for additional sanitary accommodation to consist of an extension to the dressing room block granted in December 2005.