Culmore social houses will not come with soccer pitch

Bayview Developments’ application to build the homes and the recreational facilities - an 11-a-side pitch and changing facilities - adjacent to Ballynagard Crescent, were approved by members of Derry City & Strabane District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday.

Both Sinn Féin’s Tony Hassan and the SDLP’s Angela Dobbins, said the approval for the much-needed social homes was a welcome boost for the area.

However, after the meeting Colr. Hassan and Colr. Dobbins both offered assurances that the development will not now include a fenced-off football pitch, which residents believe would offer little utility to the many elderly residents nearby.

Colr. Hassan said: “I welcome the fact that there are over 50 social houses included in the application. I have a lot of people on my files who are on the waiting list for homes and this will help meet that demand. I’d like to assure the residents of Ballynagard that the football pitches and the changing rooms won’t now be part of the project.”

Colr. Dobbins said: “I want to welcome the approval of an application for 50 social homes and associated amenities in the Ballynagard area of Culmore. Residents rightly raised concerns about anti-social behaviour and the condition of roads infrastructure which was totally inadequate.”