Cork County Council 'did not commit' financial input into scrapped Glanmire centre of soccer excellence

CORK County Council has confirmed that they did not ‘commit’ to any financial input or provide any reassurances in respect of being a financial partner over the proposed FAI Munster Centre of Excellence in Glanmire which will now not proceed as planned.

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) recently confirmed that after ‘careful consideration’, plans for an €11 million centre of excellence in Glanmire had been scrapped.

The FAI stated it was their view that the original proposal no longer represented the greatest return on investment for the parties involved.

In 2015, the FAI reached an agreement with Cork County Council on land for the development of a Centre of Excellence in Glanmire.

The agreement provided for a 99-year lease on a 30-acre site at Brook Lodge in Glanmire.

The project was supposed to include training facilities for Cork City, as well as pitches for their underage teams.

The Glanmire project was supposed to include seven pitches, a classroom, a gym, dressing rooms, physiotherapy, and medical and team rooms, as well as a community area.

In a statement, Cork County Council said that the financing of the project was ‘entirely’ the responsibility of the FAI. 

“In respect of the proposed FAI Munster Centre of Excellence, Cork County Council wishes to confirm that the subject lands were part of a leasing agreement between Cork County Council and the FAI for the development of sport facilities to be developed and operated under the management and control of the FAI.

“Cork County Council did not commit to any financial input or provide any assurances in respect of being a financial partner. Financing of the project was entirely the responsibility of the FAI,” the statement added.

The statement from Cork County Council continued: “As is common practice to any leasing arrangement, it is the responsibility of the lease holder, the FAI in this case, to undertake the appropriate due diligence to ensure that the lands were suitable for their proposed use.” 

The proposed centre of excellence in Glanmire was also going to have three full-size natural turf pitches (two with floodlighting), one full-size artificial turf pitch with floodlighting, three small-sided floodlit artificial turf pitches, and a goalkeeper training area.

The project was said to be ‘shovel ready’ with planning permission approved in January 2019.

Speaking to The Echo in the aftermath of the FAI’s decision, Independent Councillor Ger Keohane said it is time for local teams to benefit from sporting facilities in the area. 

“I would be saying keep the zoned land for sports and recreation and give clubs in Glanmire the opportunity to use it. There are no playing pitches as such in to cope with the population of Glanmire.”