£600k development plan by Newbuildings Cricket Club

Ambitious plans for the development of Newbuildings Cricket Club are being officially unveiled this morning (Wednesday).
An architect's impression of the new facilities. INLS 49-757-CONAn architect's impression of the new facilities. INLS 49-757-CON
An architect's impression of the new facilities. INLS 49-757-CON

The £600,000 project envisages the phased provision of playing area, state-of-the-art pavilion, landscaping and associated facilities such as training nets, over a five-year period.

The report, produced by Hummingbird N.I. (C.I.C.) with funding from Derry City and Strabane District Council, will be officially launched at the adjacent Newbuildings Community Centre by Communities Minister Paul Givan.

The club currently has 90 members with teams, including ladies, competing at a range of levels from youth to senior.

Guests including funders, representatives of statutory organisations and community leaders will hear how the club has already been working hard on fund-raising for the various elements with four acres of land purchased in 2014 and public access and planning permission granted in 2015.

A key aspect will be the pavilion, comprising of changing rooms and social, meeting space. Although primarily functional for the cricket teams, it will also “complement existing community facilities in providing additional community space”.

Newbuildings Cricket club has carried out extensive community consultation and has secured the support of a range of organisations and stakeholders for the development plan, which includes a detailed breakdown of costs and targets. The club feels that as well as allowing it to meet Cricketing Ireland’s requirements for premier level participation, the development will help fulfil an important socio-econcomic function too. Statistics based on the 2011 Census rank the Newbuildings’ Ward the 241st most deprived from 890 wards in Northern Ireland in terms of multiple deprivation. Rooted in the community, the club was formed in 2012, evolving from the now defunct Killymallaght.