Extension planned for successful village centre

The centre, at Ballynahinch Road in the village, is so popular with the local community that manager David Agnew has been struggling to accommodate everyone.

“Most of our rooms are operating at full capacity,” explained David. “We even have to accommodate some meetings in the changing rooms. Since we opened the demand has kept building and building.”

The planned extension will include multi-purpose rooms, as well as an all weather playing surface on the existing playing field and additional car parking.

“The majority of rooms would be multi-purpose rooms, open to the community, suitable for arts and sports,” David continued.

A public consultation on the plans was carried out and David said one of the facilities the community were keen to see provided at the centre was a fitness suite, which is still being considered.

“The success we have had is entirely down to the fact that people in Hillsborough got right behind it,” he added.

The application has been lodged with the Planning Service and David is hoping that, depending on the granting of planning permission and funding, the scheme could be completed in the next year.

David has thanked funders and supporters who have helped to make the centre a success, including Awards for All, who helped to fund the feasibility study and the planning application, Lagan Rural Partnership who helped to fund the feasibility study through their rural development programme and Lisburn City Council who also helped to fund the project.

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