Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council has welcomed the decision to progress funding for the Parker Avenue 3G Pitch Project in Portrush through the Northern Ireland Football Fund.
The £1.43 million project will redevelop the existing football facility at Parker Avenue Recreation Ground, replacing the current grass surface with a new full-size floodlit 3G artificial pitch, upgraded drainage infrastructure and modern LED floodlighting.
The new facility will provide year-round playing opportunities for Portrush FC, Portrush Youths FC, local schools and community groups, while supporting the continued growth of grassroots football across the area.
The project will significantly increase pitch capacity, reduce weather-related cancellations and create a modern football hub for the local community.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Dawn Huggins said:
"Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council is delighted that the Parker Avenue 3G Pitch Project has progressed to the next stage of the Northern Ireland Football Fund. We are grateful to the Department for Communities for its support and look forward to progressing the project through the next stages.
“This investment will deliver a high-quality facility for local clubs, schools and community groups, helping more people to participate in football and physical activity throughout the year.
"The project represents a major investment in grassroots sport and will provide lasting benefits for the Portrush area for many years to come."
The project will now progress through the next stages of due diligence, planning, design and procurement.
Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons said:
“It is a real pleasure to announce the successful projects from the pilot stage of the Northern Ireland Football Fund Grassroots Facilities Programme.
“These projects now have the potential to move forward and start turning ambition into reality. The facilities that come through this programme will create more opportunities to play, improve the quality of the football experience and provide infrastructure that can meet growing demand for years to come.
“I have seen first-hand, on visits to clubs large and small right across Northern Ireland, the difference that good facilities make. Local football brings people together, supports health and wellbeing, and strengthens our communities. That is why this investment matters. Let’s keep delivering.”