Westport United could have lands zoned for new home

In the light of the refusal by An Bord Pleanala of the planning application for Westport United's new home, Labour's Cllr Keith Martin has pledged to zone land under the current review of the Westport Town and Environs Plan for Community Facilities which could pave the way for a new home for soccer in Westport.

According to the Labour councillor there is a large area of land in and just outside the town which could be zoned for Community use which includes sports grounds and a possible skateboard park.

"In the recent past, lands were zoned primarily for housing and commercial development, but we now have more land than we need zoned for those purposes and its high time we looked at zoning a large area for sports and other community uses. Fortunately we are currently in the process of drawing up a new Town Plan and a new Environs Plan for the area and this gives us the opportunity, under this process, to zone any lands we feel would be suitable for Community use."

"I will be making a formal submission on this and I am confident that it will have the full support of all the councillors involved in this process. I would like to see Westport United have a permanent home in Westport. I would also like other sporting groups and organisations in need of grounds to come forward so we can assess how much land is needed and then work on where it can be sourced with a view to zoning it as appropriate.

"There was bad news for Westport United this week, but there is light at the end of the tunnel and I will do all within my power to see them in a new home."

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