Major investment for Laurelvale village with plan to build exciting new sports complex – Armagh I

A tiny Co Armagh village looks set to be the envy of all others with plans in place for a major sporting development.

And Laurevale will also boast new community facilities, on lands off the Mullavilly Road, if the ambitious project is allowed to proceed.

Laurelvale Cricket Club has big plans ahead of its 150th anniversary next year.

For it is hoping to demolish its current clubhouse, changing rooms and equipment store and build state-of-the-art replacements.

Proposals – which would represent a huge investment in the village – have now been placed before Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for consideration.

If successful, Laurelvale Cricket Club would see three separate buildings being constructed on a site described in papers as “20 metres to north / rear of No’s 8 to 14 Velton Lawns”.

The first of the three buildings would be the main hub.

It is being styled as a ‘community facility’ – with solar panels – which would offer a meeting room/games room, toilets, with disabled facilities and baby changing area, a café/bar area with bar and kitchen servery, and function/conference room. There is also kitchen storage and chair storage room, as well as an audio-visual control room. The function room also has a platform-type stage area for hosting events.

The second stand alone building would be for changing facilities for home and visiting teams, as well as showers, toilets, umpire changing room, an equipment store and a covered outdoor seating area.

And the third will be a big boost too. For it will see the development of an indoor multi-sports training and practice facility. It will also have disabled toilet provision on site.

The application also includes a proposed car park – supported by existing ancillary parking – and including all associated site works.

When up and running, the total club accommodation would increase significantly, with floorspace of just over 5,100 sq ft at present to over 7,500 sq ft.

Documents accompanying the application reveal: “The proposal is to redevelop the existing Laurelvale Cricket Club club house into a community sports facility.

“The site will continue to be accessed off the Mullavilly Road. There will be some car parking adjacent to the new buildings but the majority of car parking will be accommodated in the existing car park on the other side of the Mullavilly Road.”

The proposals will now be advertised shortly with a decision expected in due course.

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