Council Rejects Private Proposals For Belfast Stadium

Belfast City Council has rejected two private-sector development proposals for a multi-purpose sports stadium at Ormeau Park.

However, the Parks and Leisure Committee of the council has agreed to develop the business case for a stadium development in the city.

The council has been fighting the government's rival proposal to build a national sports stadium at the site of the old Maze prison, near Lisburn in Co Antrim.

The committee said that the decision not to pursue the private sector proposals was made because it was felt that it would be "unreasonable to expect the companies to spend the time and money required to take their proposals to the next stage at a time of political uncertainty around the Maze proposals".

The committee confirmed that the business case would consider issues such as who and what the stadium would be for; the size and nature of the stadium needed to meet demand; the resources required and the funding options for the construction and operation of the stadium; the business mix that would be needed to make it work operationally; and site specific considerations.

The case would also look at the benefits accruing to Belfast from the Maze development if it were to proceed, and also identify any necessary infrastructure improvements that would be needed to maximise those benefits.

Paul Durnien, who headed a consortium to build a 25,000-seater complex at Ormeau Park, has said that he will seek legal advice on the committee's decision and has vowed to press ahead with his project. He also said that building costs of £67 million would have been privately financed.

Both decisions need to be ratified by the full council at its next monthly meeting on October 1.

(KMcA)