Sinn Féin Councillor, Jack Murray, has welcomed confirmation that planning approval for Buncrana Leisure Centre is to come before the plenary sitting of Donegal County Council on Monday.
Speaking in advance of the meeting, Cllr Murray described the move as ‘critical’ for the long awaited new multi-million euro facility.
“This is a critical, and long-awaited juncture in the painfully long saga to get our new leisure centre constructed,” Cllr Murray said.
“There have been many false dawns over the years but now that designs and plans are agreed, and planning is to be approved – which I expect it will – then we will have taken a massive step forward.”
“Last year, Cllr Murray moved a motion which was unanimously backed by all councillors, asking the council to expand the Repowering Buncrana Project to include the leisure centre.
“This application is now expanded to seek over €20million – by far the largest amount of public investment in the history of the town,” he added.
Since then, a huge amount of work has been carried out by the council and the leisure centre committee. Cllr Murray said he is ‘hopeful’ that the application will be successful and that funding will be secured.
“Nonetheless, this couldn’t move forward without planning approval in place,” he continued.
“And I have no doubt this will be approved, given the previous backing of all councillors throughout Donegal in the past. I know that the leisure centre remains one of the big demands for the people of Inishowen so it’s essential that all of us keep working together until we have the top-class facility that our community deserves.”
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