It will be the end of next year before a planning application is submitted to develop recreation and amenity infrastructure on Kingston Lands in Knocknacarra – some 12 years after the plans were set in train.

A meeting of City West area councillors was told on Monday that MKO consultants were currently working on the project and that there would be two ‘non-statutory’ public consultations before a finalised plan was agreed on and sent forward for planning permission.

Parks Superintendent Stephen Walsh said the first of these would launch later this month, with the second expected to commence in April or May next year.

“We are targeting going for planning and starting the formal planning process in December 2025.

“The only caveat is if we need to do an Environmental Impact Assessment. The advice from MKO is that we will not need one but we are keeping our options open, and if we do, it will take around two months to do,” said Mr Walsh.

He said the Executive was planning an outing for councillors to visit the Regional Sports Centre in Athlone to see what was possible for a space like Kingston.

An application had been made to the Government’s Large Scale Sporting Infrastructure (LSSIF) – the same fund that provided for the upgrade of the Sportsground – on foot of a vote by councillors, continued Mr Walsh.

The lands involved in the masterplan for Kingston, approved by councillors almost six years ago, include City Council-owned lands and private lands which the Council will seek to purchase, and these areas have not been included in the LSSIF application.

“We are in the middle of negotiations with those who own these lands and I am confident that will come to a successful conclusion,” he said.

Among the facilities proposed for Kingston is a synthetic hockey pitch, a synthetic or grass rugby pitch, rehabilitation of the existing soccer pitch, two pavilions and “a small community centre”.

Pictured: Cllr Peter Keane: We are talking about a pitch and a running track . . . it’s balderdash.