Ards and North Down Council’s Planning Committee has unanimously approved plans for a new 2,000-seater stadium for Ards FC on Portaferry Road. The site lies near the club’s former Castlereagh Park home, which it vacated 25 years ago.

The development features two spectator stands, offices, function space, two vehicular entrances, car parking, and a 3G pitch with 24-metre-high floodlights. The council lease requires the 268 car parking spaces, plus four coach spaces, to serve general public use outside senior matches.

The proposal met requirements for environment, planning policy, road safety, access, residential amenity, public safety, drainage, and flood risk.

Club chairman Warren Patton stated the approval provides relief after past setbacks and creates fresh opportunities. He noted the club must now secure funding, following the rejection of an £8.8m application to the Department for Communities’ Northern Ireland Football Fund last year.

Patton affirmed pursuit of other public grants and openness to private investment. He described the planning process as long and costly, marking the furthest progress since leaving Castlereagh Park.