ABC Council has agreed to engage with local residents as they aim to construct a half mile ‘looped walk’ close to the Loughgall Road in Armagh.
It would, Longstone Residents’ Association believes, improve health and wellbeing opportunities for locals.
And a local athletics club had also backed the initiative, as they felt it would improve safety for runners out in the area of Loughgall Road.
The Residents’ Association want to complete a 0.52 mile walking route and need the support of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council to proceed.
Claire Duddy, head of climate, parks and sustainability, presented a report of what was envisaged to the May sitting of the environmental services committee.
She told the meeting that council had previously supported the efforts of what the Longstone Residents’ Association was trying to achieve in its area.
Ms Duddy explained: “They had fundraised to purchase a number of picnic benches and other benches to facilitate some of the health and wellbeing and biondiversity work that is carried out in the area.
“A lot of this work has contributed to a substantial drop in anti-social behaviour in the area.
“The group, more recently, have been working with DfI, to begin the process of developing a looped walk for the estate. There is a small piece of land in Housing Executive ownership which is leased to council, which would close the loop. There’s a small number of details that need to be worked through in order to make the looped walk a reality.
“There’s some legal issues need to be resolved with the Housing Sxecutive, but they’re not insurmountable, just a couple of covenants which need to be dealt with to move forward.
“Planning permission will be required and at present there’s no financial contribution set aside. However, the Residents’ Association have indicated that they are not averse to fundraising and have proven this thus far.”
The recommendation, she said, was to permit officers to engage with Longstone Residents’ Association and “develop a proposal in line with the council capital programme process”.
Sinn Fein Councillor Sarah Duffy, who chaired the meeting, welcomed the report and said she was happy to propose it be accepted, with party colleague, Councillor Catherine Nelson on hand to second.
Said Councillor Duffy: “This is a community group who do a lot of work on the ground in Armagh and there’s clearly a strong community effort behind this.”
