Community plan proposals put to Stoneyford residents

The work was the culmination of a number of months work and provided the students with a real-world case study in community planning.

The proposals for the village were divided into a number of themes (Active, Healthier, Prosperous, Accessible, Safer and Sustainable) and include a number of proposals that would help generate jobs, promote health and fitness and ultimately enhance the attractiveness of the village.

Gerard Maguinness, chairman of Stoneyford Community Association, praised the students' work and said the community was grateful for their hard work.

"The Community Association now has the hard job of following up on the proposals" he said.

Mr Maguinness explained the Association will now scrutinise the proposals and determine the schemes they feel can realistically be achieved with the resources and community support available.

"The committee were greatly encouraged by the attendance at all the public meetings, particularly the December meeting when St John's church hall was packed to capacity" he said.

"Following this meeting a number of residents indicated their willingness to participate in the community planning process and the community work that would result from this process."

Gavan Rafferty, of the University of Ulster, said: "The study provided plenty of scope for the masters to display creativity and innovative thinking in the rural setting. Indeed, the students found the whole experience rewarding and were excited to be part of one of the first such community planning exercises anywhere in Northern Ireland."

The Community Association will be calling another public meeting to discuss the proposed Action Plan and to seek both community approval and support for the various schemes, probably at the AGM in February. The community plan will be available on the upcoming Stoneyford village website for public scrutiny.