Area Rep Corina Johnston said recently; “The population of the Donabate Peninsula is projected to grow to approximately 20,000 over the next ten years. The residential zoned land in the Donabate Local Area Plan provides for approximately 4,000 residential units. Last week phase 1 of the Glenveagh Development consisting of 1200 housing units in Ballymastone commenced. This week a revised planning application for 1020 residential units in Corballis was advertised. A previous application for 1365 units on this site was granted permission by FCC and ABP. While the outcome of these applications will see the provision of a Nature Park in Corballis and a Sports Hub at Ballymastone there are no indoor community facilities provided to cater for an additional 3000 residential units.“

Johnston added; “The need for this facility is even more critical today as according to the census (2022) 41% of the population of the peninsula (11783) are under 30 while 31% are under 19 years of age. The Local Area Plan includes the following objectives for such a facility: -Objective 6.3 To support the provision of a community facility on lands at Ballymastone -Objective 6.12 Support the provision of a community/cultural/exhibition and performing Arts centre for Donabate- Portrane and encourage the development of multi -functional community buildings which are not used exclusively by any one group.
The Civic Centre should include: • a performing theatre with a fully equipped stage, seating for 100 people, Workshop/studio space Meeting/education rooms, Café ,Youth Centre, Sensory Room, a dedicated area with historical facts about the area on permanent display and an Outdoor Children’s play area amongst other facilities. Johnston added;”The FCC Tilberry site located off the Corballis Road would seem to be an ideal location among other sites to meet this criteria. Johnston concluded; “In assessing the merit of this multi-purpose Civic Centre let us envisage what Donabate would be like in 10 years’ time with 3000 additional houses with little additional indoor community facilities for the growing population with all suitable strategic land built upon. This would be a disaster. Surely we must learn from the mistakes of the past. Duncan and I intend to campaign vigorously for such an important facility.”