Gaelic football, soccer and rugby are now on track to see three multimillion pound stadium projects in Northern Ireland after the Minister for Environment Alex Attwood yesterday granted planning permission for a new Windsor Park development.
The SDLP Minister’s decision means that in less than three years there will be a 40,000 all-seat stadium at Casement Park GAA grounds in west Belfast, and 18,000 capacity stadiums at Windsor Park and Ravenhill in south Belfast respectively for soccer and rugby.
The Northern Executive through its Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has allocated up to £110 million for the three projects, although the current estimated cost of the work is just over £100 million.
‘Republican shrine’
Around 2005/2006 there was great hope that instead of the three separate developments a £300 million stadium to house the three sports would be developed on the site of the old Maze prison near Lisburn. The proposed 38,500-seat stadium was supported by the GAA, the Ulster Rugby Football Association and the Irish Football Association.
But the proposal became bogged down in disagreement, particularly between the DUP and Sinn Féin, with Belfast business interests also opposed to the development. The plan to have a conflict transformation centre on the 360-acre site also prompted considerable controversy and opposition with many unionist politicians claiming it would become a “republican shrine” to the hunger strikers.
Four years ago the then DUP sports minister Gregory Campbell finally announced the stadium would not happen at the Maze. Instead the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society, which stages the annual Balmoral Show on the grounds in and around the King’s Hall in south Belfast, is to transfer to the Maze site.
Planning application
Mr Attwood’s decision means the IFA and the Ulster RFU now have planning permission for the developments at Windsor Park and Ravenhill, while considerable planning work has been completed in relation to the GAA’s Casement Park, with a formal planning application scheduled to be lodged by the end of next month.
The Northern Executive has allocated £61.4 million to turn Casement Park from a 32,000 capacity venue with terracing into a 40,000 all-seat stadium. The GAA is delivering an additional £15 million to fund the work. This development could mean major GAA games including Ulster football finals, traditionally played in Clones, moving to Casement Park. It is scheduled to be completed by September 2015.
The Executive has provided £14.7 million for the Ravenhill development which will increase capacity from just over 12,300 to 18,200.
