LETTER TO SAINTFIELD CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SPORTS CLUBS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS
For over ten years the need for a community park in Saintfield has been identified through previous public consultations. Since 2012 SDA has been working to realise this ambition with the local Council and other agencies. Initially the challenges included finding a good site and raising the necessary funding.
When Down District Council purchased the buildings on the Belfast Road for the new community centre, the field behind it, known as the windmill field, became the logical site for the community park. With a generous donation from David Moffett, SDA was able to purchase the windmill field in the spring of 2020. In November 2019, SDA asked NMD Council to grant pedestrian access to the windmill field from the community centre site. With the help of our local councillors an easement for access was finally granted in November 2020.
SDA’s next objective is to obtain planning permission to change the use of this field to a community park with associated environmental and heritage improvements. As the field is greater than one hectare it is categorised as a major development, entailing a 12-week pre-application consultation process. SDA initiated this consultation on 23 November 2020 and hopes to submit the planning application in March 2021.
SDA once again needs your support to demonstrate to the planners that there is widespread public support for this park. Please take the time to respond to this consultation and ask all the members of your church, school, sports club or community group to do the same. This is an opportunity to provide an outdoor neutral community space for those living in and around Saintfield for generations to come.
Further information about the proposed development can be obtained by accessing
http://discoversaintfield.com/category/windmill-park-project/ These proposals take into account concerns raised (mostly by neighbours of the field) through the previous consultation earlier this year.
Because of the Covid-19 restrictions, no public event can be held, so the consultation will need to be mainly electronic. Please submit any comments by email to
windmillfield@discoversaintfield.co.uk or by using the comments section of the website
discoversaintfield.com or by post to SDA, c/o 29 Belfast Road, Saintfield, BT24 7EP. Comments should be received by 31 January 2021. SDA will endeavour to address concerns and suggestions as far as reasonably practical in any future planning application.
Alternatively, you can complete the survey on the website at
http://discoversaintfield.com/2020/11/survey-to-discover-your-ideas-for-the-community-park/
Please note that all comments at this stage are to SDA as the prospective applicant and are not representations to the Council. When SDA submits a planning application at the end of this 12-week consultation period, there will be an opportunity to make representations to the council on the application.
Issued by the Coordinating Team, Saintfield Development Association – Barbara Graham, Brian Gamble, David Greer, David McMinn, Ian Mack, Janice McHenry, Jen Smith, Lawrence Murphy, Martyn Todd and Paul McGeown.