Clane sports clubs back controversial €1m Kildare house raffle plan as fundraiser

Two sports clubs in Clane have broadly welcomed a proposal whereby a €400,000 house in a new development would be given free as the top prize in a fundraising raffle.

Under the idea, Clane GAA, Clane RFC and Clane United AFC would benefit from the proceeds of ticket sales, which are expected to be around €1 million.

However in recent days, Clane Community Council has been granted permission by the High Court to challenge planning permission for the 91-home Hamilton Park development in which the property would be located. 

Ms Justice Siobhán Phelan said she was satisfied substantial grounds of challenge had been established. She granted leave and adjourned the matter to a later date.

The Community Council’s case is against An Bord Pleanála, Ireland and the Attorney General, while developer Westar Investments Limited is a notice party.

Meanwhile, Clane GAA told the Leader that any proposed raffle proceeds would help support its club’s ongoing redevelopment.

PRO James Henry said: “It’s a wonderful opportunity that would benefit the entire community of Clane and ensure the growing young population have ready access to the best in sporting facilities.”

He added: “We currently have a major development underway at Clane GAA, LGFA and Camogie club (www.clanegaadevelopment.ie) and hope to complete Phase 1 (€500,000) later this year which includes new all-weather pitches, dressing rooms, floodlights and a community walkway.

“We still have a significant amount to fundraise for the completion of Phase 1 and commencement of Phase 2.

“Any money raised from the raffle would go directly to our club development for the betterment of our members and the community at large.”

Clane RFC said it viewed the proposed raffle as ‘an enormous opportunity’ to help accelerate the development of facilities in Clane, which can be utilised by large portions of the population.

Public relations officer Cian Boyling told the Leader: “Throughout the course of the pandemic it has become apparent that social and physical activities are essential to peoples mental wellbeing, and participation in team sports is very important for both young and old.

“We have seen excellent support and enthusiasm since the club has opened back up again.

“The three clubs have over many years provided facilities to enable our local community to play and interact in a safe and sociable environment.

“Each club has done massive work in trying to include as many people as possible into team sports. For us, this has been seen through our efforts to include more girls and women in our club, with three dedicated girls teams and tag rugby for women wanting to get into the sport in a casual way.

“This money will facilitate the further development of our facilities so that a wider community can participate and the club can continue to grow.

“An opportunity to get this level of capital investment does not come around very often and Clane RFC are delighted to participate. We express our thanks to the soccer and GAA club and to the developers of Hamilton Park for this kind gesture.

“This money will be used to accelerate the capital program for our three year development plan.

“We have taken on debt to improve the facilities already, with top class lighting for training and the creation of a third pitch already completed.

“Due to this, other areas of focus such as training area improvements and improvements for parking have been put on hold.

“This delay has also affected the plans to facilitate our inclusion program. The program is very important to our club. We may not be the biggest club in terms of Irish Rugby, but we have an ethos that ‘everyone plays’.

“We want to expand the community of people that participate in our sport, and we wish to provide a safe and happy environment for them to do so.

“In order to do that a capital investment is needed and facilities have to be provided. The potential money that could be available through this scheme would allow for safety upgrades to parking and further enhancements to the training ground which would allow differently abled teams to participate.”

Clane United AFC has already said the proposed raffle was an interesting idea and said any proceeds would help develop facilities which would have to be fundraised for in any event.

Clane Community Council has said it believes the 91 homes would contribute to ‘significant overdevelopment of our town with all of the problems that this would cause to existing and future residents of Clane’.

The Community Council has also applied for a judicial review of a Strategic Housing Development by Westar for 333 homes in the town as well as a proposed development by Debussy Properties Ltd.

A spokeperson for Westar told the Leader last week that the judicial review of Hamilton Park puts at risk 91 much needed homes for which over 200 people have registered their interest in buying.

The spokesperson added: “Also put at risk is creche accommodation for over 50 children, a 1.5 acre public parkland and playground and the upgrade and signalisation of the junction at Brooklands and the R403.”

The company said it employs 80 local people directly but hundreds of other jobs would be supported indirectly in the Clane area.

The planning application for Hamilton Park was first lodged with Kildare County Council in July 2020 and full permission was granted in January 2021 following additional information provided.

An appeal was later made to An Bord Pleanala which considered the objection and decided to uphold the grant of permission in November 2021.

The Westar spokesperson added that the 91 homes at Hamilton Park are catered for in the Local Area Plan and that the grant of permission for 91 homes complies with local and national planning policy.

Clane Community Council said that in meetings with representatives of sports clubs, the Community Council "could not agree to the request to withdraw a judicial review because the threat of over-development posed by every one of the planning applications remains a fundamental issue."

A Community Council statement added: "It is important to emphasise that there is no dispute between these various groups in Clane. The sports clubs, who make a very significant contribution to the community, are understandably exploring fundraising opportunities; the Westar Group are a reputable firm in the business of building homes, and the Community Council - among its many community-focused activities – is pursuing evidence-based engagement in the planning process in the broad public interest. We are all simply different local organisations in pursuit of our respective goals."

The Community Council added: "We hope that these legal actions – supported and funded by many people in Clane - will prevent this over-development and avoid the problems and impacts for existing and future residents that excessive development would cause."