A novel planning application to build an elite training sport facility at Horsepasstown, Ballymore Eustace has been submitted to Kildare County Council. The site for the proposed development is near the car park in front of Blessington Lakes on the N81 Blessington to Baltinglass road.
The application was submitted by Daniel Magee and Jennie King, a husband and wife team who are renowned in badminton circles, each having competed at international level. Daniel is currently No 1 in the Irish Badminton rankings and also trains the national U13 team. At international level, he coached the Irish squad for the European Championships when his sister Chloe and brother Sam took bronze in the mixed doubles. He was also the coach at the European Games in Baku where Ireland secured 3 bronze medals.
Husband and wife team, and leading badminton players, Daniel Magee and Jennie King
Jennie is also a junior National coach and current National Champion in Ladies Doubles – plus she is ranked No 1 in doubles in Ireland. Their badminton pedigree is not flawed, for sure!
“I have been working down at Baltinglass Badminton Club for a year now” said Jennie and one of my pupils recently won the U13 National Championship in Singles, Doubles and Mixed 2018, not having previously won anything before we teamed up!”
Jennie and Daniel propose to erect an elite training facility for leading Irish badminton players, especially those competing for national and international titles. They are seeking planning permission for a small sport facility consisting of 3 bed self-contained accommodation for the athletes and a single court badminton hall (similar to photograph here).
“Athletes will stay and train on-site (maximum of 4 athletes), for 3-6 week periods, to help them prepare for priority events such as the Olympics, World Championships, European Games and National Championships. The idyllic site setting would provide a prime isolated environment where athletes could focus and be away from city distractions. The facility services provided would be accommodation, on-court training, gym, strength and conditioning and injury rehabilitation in treatment room”.
Given that only four athletes and trainers will stay at the centre at any given time, this should not give cause for traffic concerns as it won’t generate a major increase in vehicular movements.
“Badminton is our life, we have found a career, friends and each other in the sport. We would be fed players from Irish NGO (Badminton Ireland) and European NGO (Badminton Europe) who we have already received support from for this venture. We have also received support from Kildare Sport Partnership, tourism in Kildare Into Kildare and the Kildare Badminton Association”.
Jennie and Daniel have already made considerable connections with activities in Ballymore Eustace, and have pledged to facilitate a future walkway through said lands, to link up the CDA Golden Falls walkway (still a work in progress). They further pledged to support local businesses for groceries/goods etc and also, to set up a Badminton Ireland Academy cell for children in the Ballymore Eustace area.
Planning in Ballymore Eustace has been mummified in recent years; years ago, it was seweage that was the problem, lack of infrastructures and as yet, there does not seem to be a definitive density set out for the village and surrounding area. This planning application is not dependant on any such density as it’s a recreational/business enterprise and one with direct access to a major road, the N81.
There has been considerable support locally for the proposed development from local groups and businesses.
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