Key achievements
2.1 The first Playing Pitch Strategy (2011-2021) delivered a £15million, ten-year investment plan that transformed grassroots sports provision across Belfast. It resulted in:
- nine new pavilions
- five new pitches
- £750,00 of improvements on education sector sites, improving access for local communities after school hours.
2.2 Since the strategy completion in 2021, we have continued working with key strategic partners and have delivered significant achievements in the development and improvement of sports facilities across the city. Approximately £40million has been invested in new and upgraded facilities across the city, including:
- Belfast Investment Fund - £5.4million investment delivered to date:
- H&W Welders - new 3G pitch, stand, and floodlighting
- Colin Glen Trust - development of new 3G pitches and an all-weather sports dome
- Hanwood Trust site – upgrade of synthetic pitch and floodlights
- Davitts GAC - new GAA pitch, spectator stand, pavilion, flood lit Multi Use Games Area (MUGA)
- Bredagh GAC - refurbishment of existing building to create a purpose-built community hub
- Belfast Investment Fund has also committed a further £2.86million to projects to improve facilities for Grove United FC and Belvoir FC.
2.3 Under the Leisure Transformation Programme, we invested a total of £9.5million in pitches including:
- Lisnasharragh - two floodlit 3G five-a-side pitches
- Brook - one floodlit 3G GAA pitch, one floodlit 3G soccer pitch, six five-a-side pitches and a hurling wall
- Andersonstown - two 3G five-a-side pitches
- Avoniel - seven 3G pitches, one full-size and one seven-a-side and five five-a-side soccer pitches (three indoor, two outdoor)
- Olympia - one new full-size floodlit 3G pitch.
2.4 Under the Local Investment Fund, £2.75million has been invested across soccer, athletics, lawn bowling, cricket and gaelic sports including:
- improvements to three bowling clubs
- improvements to seven gaelic sports sites
- Woodvale Cricket Club upgrade
- Paisely Park athletic track improvements
- improvements at five soccer sites
- investment at two rugby sites.
2.5 Through collaboration with the government Executive Office’s Urban Villages programme, £3million investment has been made in Marrowbone Millenium Park including a full-size floodlit 3G pitch and a community hub building.
2.6 Currently, working with the same funding partner, we are delivering a £7million investment in Ballysillan playing fields including pitch improvements and the installation of a new full-size floodlit 3G pitch.
2.7 Since 2024-25 financial year, an annual budget of £500,000 has been allocated for improving our existing outdoor sports facilities and this has already been delivered:
GAA
- Installation of a dedicated GAA pitch and associated spectator fencing and ball stops at Henry Jones playing fields.
- Installation of additional full-size grass GAA pitches and improvements to two existing grass GAA pitches including installation of ball stops throughout City of Belfast (Mallusk) playing fields.
- Installation of ball stops for the GAA pitch at Falls Park.
- Reconfiguration of small-sided games pitches and pedestrian-vehicle separation measures at Woodlands playing fields.
Cricket
- Installation of a new synthetic cricket wicket at Victoria Park.
- Installation of a new cricket wicket and relocation and upgrade of a second at City of Belfast (Mallusk) playing fields.
Soccer
- Installation of spectator fencing and hard standing for the soccer pitch at Falls Park.
- Reinstatement of a disused soccer pitch and conversion of a full-sized soccer pitch to three small-sided games pitches at Strangford playing fields.
- Fence extensions and improvements at Marrowbone, Clarendon, Westlands and Napier Park pitches.
2.8 Financial support has also been provided to four partners to secure community access to pitches, these are:
- Belfast Metropolitan College at Montgomery Road
- Ashfield Boys School
- Colaiste Feirste
- CI Hockey.
