3 Jul 2025
Tender: Construction of the National Cricket Centre, Contract 1, which consists of the following elements: (1) Civil works including the Cricket Oval including the Wicket, 4,240 permanent seating bowl, bulk earthworks, boreholes and irrigation system, site infrastructure, utility services (2) Ancillary buildings comprising, Energy Centre (313m2), Maintenance building (536m2) and 2 WC blocks of 214m2 each (3) Landscaping works including grasscrete around the pitch hard standing to the concourse and soft landscaping The site is approximately 30 hectares, located in the eastern portion of the Sport Ireland campus at Abbottstown, Dublin 15. The project features a seating bowl around the main oval, with a diameter of 156 meters, consisting of 21 strips in total, 13 of which meet the minimum boundary requirements for men’s international matches. The seating capacity is 4,240, arranged in a 6-row configuration around most of the oval, offering excellent sight lines and ensuring a comfortable viewing experience for spectators
Permission and Retention Permission for proposed development consisting of:
1. Cricket oval (156 m diameter field of play), permanent fixed seating for 4,240 spectators with access from the northeast and southwest, and perimeter fencing.
2. Two storey (12 m high) main pavilion building (4,477 sqm) comprising High Performance Centre (HPC) including 4 lane indoor cricket hall with viewing gallery, hall storage, fitness suite, medical and consulting rooms and HPC offices; Player and Match Official Area (PMOA) comprising 4 no. team changing suites, internal and external viewing areas over the oval, team analysis area, physio room, players and coaches changing facilities and utility room, changing and support accommodation for officials, team and official dining room, and anti-doping suite; and foyer, admin staff area, staff room, toilets, and venue control room.
3. Cricket oval floodlighting via 6 no. columns of maximum height 60 m approximately.
4. The provision of spectator concourse and service zone/route immediately around the cricket oval seating; 2 no. moveable sightscreen frames; maintenance facility; and 2 no. toilet blocks.
5. Arrivals plaza including the provision of 31 no. car parking spaces (including 2 no. EV spaces and 7 no. accessible spaces and 1 no. shared EV/accessible space) and 15 no. bicycle parking spaces for day-to-day and non-event/match day use.
6. Provision to the north of the proposed access road of a permanent cricket facility energy centre, provision of a media/outside broadcasting zone for all event/match days; and (a) provision of 150 no. car parking spaces (of which 15 no. are for permanent use and 135 no. for event/match use up to 4,240 attendance, of which there are 18 no. EV spaces and 2 no. accessible spaces and 1 no. shared EV/accessible space) and 184 no. bicycle parking spaces; (b) provision of an event/match overlay area to accommodate a further 170 no. car parking spaces and further bicycle parking spaces for attendances in excess of 4,240 spectators.
7. Provision of serviced overlay areas to accommodate up to a further approximately 7,760 non-permanent seats required on an occasional basis (to bring the total occasional capacity to 12,000 seats) and for concessions, food and beverage, corporate activities, spectators’ activation zones for use only on match/event days, and provision of permanent utilities and services in the form of water, electricity and waste water.
8. Provision of new outdoor grass surface practice nets providing 16 strips, and retention permission of existing access, landscaping and 26 no. car parking spaces at the existing nets for use on a permanent basis.
9. New access road with new entrance incorporating totem signage, pedestrian crossing, carriageway, cycle lanes, footpaths, bus turning area, bus/taxi drop off area, bus lane reservation, upgrade to 2 no. existing pedestrian and bicycle crossings and junction improvements on Ballycoolin Road.
10. 8 no. bus/coach stops, bus and coach turning area/terminus, 30 no. bicycle parking spaces, upgrade and modification to existing vehicular roads, and widening and resurfacing of existing footpaths/cycleways, new gated pedestrian/cycle entrance to the south of the campus, provision of new cycle routes and footpaths promoting active travel into and within the campus.
11. Provision of temporary haul road to facilitate the construction of strategic drainage infrastructure.
12. Temporary provision of a construction compound for the proposed scheme north of the proposed access road prior to completion of the proposed development.
13. Reprofiling of land, extensive landscaping, necessary services and infrastructure, diversion and undergrounding of existing overhead power lines, 2 no. substation kiosks and transformers, and all associated site works above and below ground including temporary works required to facilitate the efficient and safe ongoing operation of the campus.
The planning application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and a Natura Impact Statement (NIS). The proposed development is located within the historic estate and attendant grounds of Abbotstown House which is a protected structure (RPS No. 0683), and adjacent to protected structures Abbotstown Gate Lodge (RPS No. 939), Irish Institute of Sport (RPS No. 0940) and St. Coemhin’s Church (in ruins) and Graveyard (RPS No: 0684).
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