Athlone Town’s plan for facilities for women's soccer approved

Athlone Town FC's ambitious plan for new facilities to cater for the increased popularity of women's soccer has got the backing of planners in Westmeath County Council.

There are now over 100 female footballers across the various club teams, including 30 attached to the senior team, the planning documents lodged in support of the application revealed. The club said the women's and men's teams share facilities, but the “recent success and development of the ladies football team has increased the need for a facility building for the ladies' team”.

The project, to be developed in two phases, consists of a new premises with fitness suite, changing rooms, an external covered spectator balcony and a new standing terrace at the Brawny Road end of the club's home in Lissywollen.

Approved by the council on April 12 last, the plans are subject to compliance with six separate planning conditions, including that a construction and demolition resource waste management plan be submitted prior to work starting on-site, and all service cables be run underground.

While there was no local submission lodged in relation to the project, TII, formerly the NRA, was consulted by the planning authority and expressed the view that “insufficient data” was submitted to show the development would not have a detrimental effect on capacity and safety of the national road network.

The planner's report ruled this view out completely, however, saying that the development does not front or access onto the national road and is ancillary to an already established sporting facility.

The two-storey building would be located to the Brawney Road end of the ground, north of the existing football pitch, and would form phase one of the project. On the ground floor level, it would house a reception, offices, home and away ladies changing rooms, shower rooms, home and away toilets, wheelchair toilets, kit store room and plant room.

A new fitness suite is earmarked for the first floor, encompassing a gym, match analysis room, club committee room, conference room and canteen which would lead out to a covered balcony area for spectator viewing.

Phase two is proposed to comprise a new spectator standing terrace, according to the approved plans, which would accommodate a capacity of 1,700.